If He Only Knew
by Seasin
Summary: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Katherine Peters. Hogwarts is getting in over its head. I do not own any part of this story, except the character of Katherine Peters, who is from my imagination.
1. Chapter 1

_If He Only Knew_

_Chapter One_

"There he is." "Who?" "Harry Potter." The Hogwarts Express was in an uproar. _The Boy Who Lived._ Katherine Peters sat in her compartment listening intently to the rest of the first years as they drooled over Harry Potter. Katherine, not being the type of person who listens to gossip, got out of her chair, walked out of compartment, and went in search of Harry Potter.

As she was walking down the hallway, she was almost beheaded by a mass of curly brown hair. The only thing that saved her next was the fact that she ducked. She bounced up gracefully smiling at the owner of the hair.

"Oh, sorry! Are you alright?" The owner asked anxiously.

"I'm fine. I thank you, though, almost being beheaded woke me up." Katherine laughed. The girl was put at ease. Katherine noticed that she was already wearing her school robes.

"I'm Hermione Granger." The girl extended her hand.

"Katherine Peters." Katherine and Hermione shook hands.

"You should probably get your robes on." Hermione said.

"Oh, right. Want to join me in my compartment?" Katherine offered. Hermione's face brightened. Katherine had a feeling that Hermione had no friends on this train.

They arrived at Hogwarts, road the boats across the lake, and, after meeting Professor McGonagall, all the first years waited outside the Great Hall. Katherine scanned the tittering children for someone she recognized. Someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see Draco Malfoy.

"Hey, Draco. How was your summer?"Katherine asked.

"Fine. My mom says hi and you are welcome to come to the Manor during the holidays." Draco said.

"I'd be happy to come." Katherine lived two houses away from Draco. They were always over at each other's houses. Childhood friends, can't beat that.

Professor McGonagall came back and led them into the Great Hall. She called the first students up and placed the Sorting Hat on their heads. Hermione walked up nervously, sat anxiously with the large hat sliding down her head, and she was put into Gryffindor. The hat had barely touched Draco's head, before it yelled for him to be Slytherin.

Katherine's name was called. She walked confidently up to the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head.

"Ah. You're a difficult one. Very clever, cunning, and brave. Perhaps, even foolhardy."

"Only fools would be brave enough to do dangerous things."Katherine countered.

"But where to put you? Slytherin is probably the best." While the Sorting Hat mused, Katherine looked around and laid eyes upon a dark haired, glasses-wearing boy. She felt an emotion that she could not identify surge through her.

"Oh? What is this?" The Sorting Hat purred, and then shouted. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Katherine took a seat next to Hermione and a red-haired boy with a Prefect badge. Across from her, were red-haired twins who were trying to pour some type of potion into the Prefect's cup.

"Harry Potter!" Professor McGonagall read off the next name. A storm of whispers swept through the Great Hall. Harry Potter looked embarrassed by all the attention. The Sorting Hat was placed on his head and the Hat took a painfully long time to decide.

Finally, in the same voice that it used with Katherine, it shouted. "GRYFFINDOR!" Applause from the Gryffindor table was deafening. Harry Potter sat down next to Katherine. A red-haired boy was put into Gryffindor, the red-haired boys all around her started clapping, he sat down next to Harry Potter. Introductions flew around the table.

The red-haired boys were all brothers, all Weasleys. The Prefect was Percy. The twins were Fred and George. The other one was Ron.

On the morning of Halloween, Katherine had to go talk to Professor McGonagall, so Hermione was left walking by herself to her next class.

At the Halloween feast that night, Katherine searched all around the table for Hermione, but no luck. Harry Potter and the other Weasley sat down next to her.

"Have you seen Hermione?" She asked. Ron shrugged, but his face turned as red as his hair.

"I heard that she's crying in the girls' bathroom." A girl said. Katherine frowned at Ron as if knowing that it was his entire fault.

"I'll go get her." Katherine said as she rose from the table. Katherine found the bathroom were Hermione was crying her eyes out. Katherine hugged her friend.

"He's such a twit." Hermione blubbered.

"Who?" Katherine said rubbing Hermione's back soothingly.

"That Ronald Weasley." Hermione sobbed.

"What did he do?" Katherine tensed with anger. Hermione shook her head and burst out of Katherine's arms and into a stall. Katherine leaned against the door waiting for her friend to calm down.

The air started to smell funny. Then a huge mass walked into the bathroom. Katherine pulled her wand out and stared at the troll coming towards her.

"Hermione. Hermione! Duck!" Katherine hit the deck as the troll swung his club at the stalls. Hermione's ankle was sticking out from a pile of rubble. Katherine grabbed it and pulled her friend behind her. Standing up, Katherine waved her wand trying to think of a spell.

"_Lumos!_" Katherine shouted hoping she could blind the troll. Hermione was shaking from fright behind her. The spell didn't work. Suddenly, two boys charged into the bathroom.

"Wrong bathroom, boys!" Katherine teased.

"Is this really the time for jokes?" Harry Potter asked.

"Well, if you don't want to hear a joke, help us get rid of this troll!" Katherine commanded to the boys on the other side of the troll. Harry Potter ran up to the troll, stabbed it in the nose with his wand, and was hanging upside down while being held up by the troll. It raised its club ready to whack Harry Potter's brains out of his head.

"_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Ron shouted as he used the spell to raise the club above the troll's head. The club dropped, hit the troll, it let go of hair, and fell to the ground a foot away from a stunned Ron.

There was a smack as Katherine slapped her forehead saying, "I should have thought of that."

A gasp made all four them turn around. Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell, and Professor Snape were all staring at the four first years.

"Potter! Weasley! Why did you attack a troll?" Professor McGonagall was livid.

"It was me, Professor." Hermione spoke up from behind Katherine's back.

"Miss Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked stunned.

"I read about trolls and I thought I could beat one on my own." Hermione lied expertly, and then decided to tell the truth. "Harry and Ron came to rescue me."

"Well, I'm going to take points away from Gryffindor. But, I believe Potter and Weasley have gained some. Now, go to your dormitories." Professor McGonagall said. Harry, Ron, Professor McGonagall, Professor Quirrell, and Hermione left the bathroom.

"Miss Peters, we did not find out what your role in this was." Professor Snape said looking down at Katherine.

"There is a dangerous troll wondering around the castle, where do you think I would be?" Katherine responded staring him down.

"Foolhardy Gryffindors."

Those "Foolhardy Gryffindors" beat Snape's Slytherins one hundred and seventy to sixty in the first Quidditch match of the season. Harry caught the Snitch by nearly swallowing it and won the game for Gryffindor.

"Are you sure Snape was the one jinxing Harry's broom?" Katherine asked.

"I saw him." Hermione said.

"Well, if Snape is trying to kill Harry, we need to keep an eye out." Katherine decided. She and Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room, when Harry and Ron burst in.

"Hermione, do you remember that dog?" Harry asked breathless. Katherine raised an eyebrow.

"There's a three-headed dog guarding something in the third-floor corridor." Hermione answered Katherine's silent question.

"Yeah and it's called Fluffy." Ron said.

"What?" questioned Katherine.

"We were talking to Hagrid and he told us that the dog is guarding something only Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel know about." Harry said.

"Who's Nicolas Flamel?" Katherine asked as she, Harry, and Ron all looked at the library, also known as Hermione.

"I don't know." Hermione admitted to the flabbergasted faces.

"Well, it looks like the boys will have to spend Christmas in the library." Katherine said as a smile tugged at her lips.

"What?" Ron asked with a strangled look on his face.

"Hermione and I are not staying here for the holidays." Katherine explained.

"Come on, the library's not that bad." Hermione giggled as Ron and Harry pretended that they were dying because of the idea.


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to say in the first chapter, this is slightly AU.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter Two<em>

Katherine was staying at Malfoy Manor for Christmas. Her Muggle parents sent her presents over to the Manor. This was standard procedure for the Peters; Katherine always spent Christmas with the Malfoys.

"So, I hear you're a Gryffindor, Katherine." Mr. Malfoy commented as he combed his long white blond hair. They all were sitting in the drawing room; Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy, Draco, and Katherine.

"Yes, I am." Katherine answered.

"I hear you are friends with Harry Potter." Mr. Malfoy looked her straight in the eye. She shrugged.

"Gryffindors stick together, just like Slytherins."

"Lucius, leave Katherine alone. She can't control where the Sorting Hat placed her." Mrs. Malfoy gently placed her hand on her husband's arm.

"That stupid Potter gets everything he wants." Draco grumbled.

"How so, Draco darling?" Mrs. Malfoy asked.

"Dumbledore bent the rules for him so he could play Quidditch for Gryffindor." Draco mumbled.

"So, he's already Dumbledore's favorite." Mr. Malfoy mused.

"Dumbledore hasn't spoken to him." Katherine said quietly. The Malfoys stared at her.

"Katherine, how about you and I go race my new broomsticks?" Draco said getting up. Katherine followed him outside. They spent the rest of the morning racing. Katherine always let Draco win because he sulked every time he lost.

"Katherine," Draco said as they were putting the brooms up. Katherine raised an eyebrow. "You shouldn't spend so much time with Potter."

"Why not?" Katherine said swallowing her anger.

"He's a brat."

"That's your reason?"

"Just stay away from him. Please."

"Why?"

"My parents are giving me a hard time about it. They think of you as a daughter; they don't want you to get involved with the wrong sorts."

"Wrong sorts?"

"The blood traitor, the Mudblood, and I'm-So-Special-Potter."

"Draco,"

"Look, I know you don't want to hear it, but this is what my parents want."

"I'm not going to stop being friends with them."

"Will you stop being so stubborn? Just do something that someone asks!"

"Fine. I'll stay away from them."

* * *

><p>For the rest of the year, Katherine kept her distance from her Gryffindor trio. She spent most of her time with Draco and his two idiot followers. Exams were upon them before they knew it, and then they were over.<p>

Katherine was sitting in the common room with Neville Longbottom. She got a new book and she could not put it down. As the hours crept by, Neville sat there doing nothing except stare off into space.

She heard soft footsteps come down the stairs. Neville leapt to his feet. The newcomers paused. Katherine remained quiet and hidden in her chair.

"Where do you think you're going?" Neville said blocking the exit.

"Neville, go back to bed." Katherine heard Hermione say.

"No. You already got Gryffindor in trouble once, I won't let it happen again." Neville trembled a little, but nonetheless held his ground.

"Neville, please go to bed." Harry begged.

"No." Neville stood with his hands in fists at his sides.

"I'm really sorry, Neville. _Petrificus Totalus!_" Hermione put Neville in a full body-bind. The trio started to walk towards the exit. Katherine got up and blocked the door. Hermione raised her wand, and Katherine immediately threw up her hands to show that she was unarmed.

"Wow. No need to spell me." Katherine smiled to put them at ease.

"Look who's finally talking to us." Ron said.

"Oh, Ronald, when will you ever learn? Talking does nothing except tell secrets." Katherine put her hands down.

"Katherine, move. We're in a hurry." Harry said. Katherine didn't move.

"Perhaps I could tag along." She said looking at her fingertips.

"You don't even know what we're going to do." Harry said.

"You're going to go past Fluffy and rescue the Philosopher's Stone from Snape." Katherine lazily looked past them. They blinked at her in surprise.

"How do you know that?" Ron questioned flabbergasted.

"I told you, Ronald, talking does nothing except tell secrets. So aren't we in a hurry?" Katherine asked. Harry pulled out a cloak and threw it over all four of them. It took Katherine a moment to realize it was an Invisibility Cloak.

_Draco's right. _She thought. _Potter gets everything._

They arrived at third-floor corridor. They threw off the cloak and found themselves face to face to face with Fluffy. Harry pulled out a flute and began to play. Fluffy's triple set of eyes began to close. Soon, the three-headed dog was asleep. Hermione pulled open the trapdoor. Katherine pulled out her wand and jumped down first.

She landed on something soft. Suddenly, vines began to creep up her leg. She gasped when she recognized it.

"Devil's Snare!" Hermione said from somewhere near her. Harry and Ron started to struggle.

"Stop moving." Katherine commanded. She relaxed and the plant killed her less quickly.

"Harry, stop fidgeting! You're distracting me. I'm trying to remember how to kill it." Hermione said. Ron continued to fight it.

"Stop, Ron! It will kill you faster if you fight back!" Katherine told him. That did nothing to calm him down.

"I've got it!" Hermione exclaimed. She said a charm and blue flames burst out of her wand. The Devil's Snare reacted immediately; it retracted from the captured first years.

"Bloody hell! I almost died!" Ron said rubbing his neck.

"Well, if you stopped struggling like a git, you wouldn't have had that problem." Katherine said looking down the hallway.

"Let's keep going." Harry said taking the lead. He opened the door to the next room to find it had keys flying around. There was another door on the other side.

"One of the keys must open that door." Katherine stated the obvious.

"But which one?" Ron asked. Harry and Katherine scanned the room.

"That one." They said in unison pointing to a key with a broken wing.

"How can you tell?" Hermione asked for once bewildered.

"It's already been used." Katherine answered as she and Harry walked over to the broomsticks. Katherine, with twinkling eyes, challenged Harry. "First one to get it wins."

"Fine. Ready, set-"

"Go!" She shouted jumping on her broomstick before Harry could mount his. The keys started to attack the two. Katherine zigged and zagged through keys trying to catch the silver key with the broken wing. Harry was a blur in the corner of her eye.

"I've got it!" Harry shouted. The keys stopped chasing Katherine and decided to go kill Harry instead. Katherine landed and Harry threw the key to her. She opened the door, ushered Ron and Hermione through, held it while Harry fell off his broom into the next room, and quickly closed it.

"That was fun." Katherine said as she wiped blood away from the scratches given to her by the keys.

"I won, Katherine." Harry smiled.

"You got lucky." Katherine teased, her green eyes twinkling with laughter. The group turned their attention to their next challenge.

"Wicked." Ron said when he saw the giant chessboard.

"What do we do?" inquired Katherine.

"Looks like we have to win the game." Ron said.

"Ron, you're the best chess player I know. You tell us what to do." Harry said.

"Harry, go play Bishop. Hermione, be the rook. I'll be the knight. Katherine, what do you want to be?" Ron asked.

"I'll be the queen. I'm always the queen." Katherine stepped onto the chessboard. The white pieces across from them moved first. Ron directed the pieces, who silently followed his instructions. Suddenly, the white queen smashed the other knight and dragged its body to the side of the board. The game progressed with many black and white pieces being maimed.

"Oh, I see. This is how it has to be." Ron muttered as the white queen turned towards him.

"NO!" Hermione screeched.

"What's going on?" Harry said feeling left out. Katherine watched the exchange with no expression on her face.

"He's going to sacrifice himself." Hermione answered sounding close to hysterics.

"No, you can't do it!" Harry shouted at his friend.

"Do you want to stop Snape?" Ron yelled. "It has to be done!"

He moved his piece, the queen menacingly crept towards him, and she hit him in the head with her stone arm. He flew across the board and landed next to the wounded pieces.

"RON!" screamed Hermione. She started to move towards him.

"Stay!" Katherine and Harry commanded. Harry moved towards the king.

"Checkmate." Harry said. The white king threw off his crown and bowed to Harry. They had won. Katherine, Hermione, and Harry raced into the next room.

A terrible scent scorched their noses. Katherine pulled out her wand recognizing the stench in seconds. She kept Harry and Hermione behind her. Katherine relaxed once she realized that the troll was knocked out. They moved on to the next room.

A table with seven bottles lied in front of them. A black fire sprang up in the doorway behind them, while a second black fire emerged in the doorway in front of them. Katherine reached for a parchment roll.

She read it out loud:

_"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would fine,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead, _

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine, _

_Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides,_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."_

Hermione smiled. Katherine handed the parchment to her. Harry looked confused. Hermione went over to the table trying to figure out the puzzle. After a few moments, Hermione picked out the bottle that allows them to move forward.

"There's only enough for two." She said with a frown.

"You two move on; I'll go get Ron." Katherine offered.

"No. You and Harry go." Hermione said.

"Hermione, which bottle lets you go back?" Harry asked.

"That one." She replied.

"Drink it. Take Ron, grab the brooms from the key room, and get a letter to Dumbledore." Harry ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Katherine and I will hold off Snape until Dumbledore gets here." Harry said.

"Good, I've been itching for a fight." Katherine said. Hermione threw her arms around both of them.

"Hermione!" They both gasped embarrassed.

"You two are just so brave." She said as she released them.

"I prefer to be called the most brilliant witch in the Universe." Katherine smiled with her green eyes twinkling.

"Go drink the potion, Hermione." Harry said. She did and went back the way they came.

"Bottoms up." Katherine said as she took a sip and handed the bottle to Harry. They both walked through the black fire and pulled out their wands.

"Well, Potter it seems that anytime you decide to go someplace where you can get killed, you have to bring a shield. First, your mother, and now, Peters." Quirrell, not Snape, said. The two first years' jaws fell open.

"Where's Snape?" Harry asked looking around as if Snape was behind a stone column.

"Snape? You thought Snape was the one trying to steal the Stone?" Quirrell mocked.

"Why do you want it?" Harry questioned.

"He doesn't. His master does." Katherine said.

"So clever, Peters, too bad I'll have to kill you." Quirrell stated. Katherine pointed her wand menacingly at him.

"Try to. I dare you." She said through gritted teeth.

"In time, my dear. But first, I need to get the Stone." Quirrell turned his attention to a mirror behind him.

"The Mirror of Erised." Harry whispered. Katherine raised an eyebrow. "It shows the person their heart's desire."

"I see myself getting the Stone, but why don't I have it?" Quirrell muttered frustrated.

"Use the boy." A high voice said. Quirrell turned around.

"Potter, get over here!" He barked. Harry walked towards the Mirror, with Katherine a step behind him. "What do you see?"

"I see Professor Dumbledore giving the Gryffindors the Quidditch House Cup." Harry said. Katherine looked at his pocket and saw it get bigger almost as if a stone was in it.

"He lies." The high voice said. Harry and Katherine walked backwards away from Quirrell.

"Potter! Tell me what you see!" He commanded.

"Let me speak to him." The voice said.

"My lord, you are not strong enough." Quirrell said.

"I am strong enough for this." Quirrell started to take his turban off, and he turned around so his back was to the children. A hideous face with red eyes and slits for nostrils was attached to the back of Quirrell's head.

"Harry Potter." The face whispered. "Give me the Stone. I know it's in your pocket. Give it to me." Harry tried to walk backwards.

"Stop, don't be a fool," the face snarled. "Join me or die like your parents. They died begging for mercy."

"YOU LIE!" Harry screamed. The face smiled, but it just looked like the flesh twisted in creepy way.

"So brave. Your parents were brave. Your father I killed first; it was so easy to do so. Your mommy didn't have to die. No, she died to protect you, her baby boy. Now give me the Stone, so that she didn't die in vain."

"NEVER!" Harry stubbornly protected the Stone.

"KILL HIM!" The voice commanded. Quirrell sent a nasty curse at Harry. Katherine jumped in front of it. She was thrown backwards, over Harry's head. She smacked into a stone column, rolled on the cold tiled floor, and landed with a pool of blood underneath her light brown hair.

Suddenly, Quirrell was on top of him. Then Quirrell whisked himself away from Harry screaming; his hands were blistering.

"KILL HIM!" The voice yelled in a voice so terrifying that ice froze in fear. Quirrell tried to get his hands around Harry's neck, but Harry put his hands on Quirrell's face. His scar was on fire from the pain; he was slowly falling into unconsciousness due to it. Then he vaguely felt Quirrell being pulled off of him.

* * *

><p>Harry Potter woke up in a bright room. He looked around and saw Katherine sitting up, reading a magazine, with a white bandage, that was slowly turning red, around her head. She saw Harry was awake and she looked at him curiously.<p>

"Are you really awake this time?" She asked.

"This time?" Harry's brain was slow to comprehend her words.

"Well, one time you woke up and told me that you loved me." Katherine started laughing at his flabbergasted and horrified face. "Just kidding."

"How long have I been out?"

"Three days."

"Your head has taken three days to heal?"

"Well, Madame Pomfrey managed to fix my skull, but she doesn't know what spell Quirrell used, and the bloody thing won't stop bleeding."

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me. Or perhaps he can tell us." Katherine said as an elderly wizard with a waist long beard came in.

"Harry, glad you're awake." Professor Dumbledore said smiling.

"Professor, what happened?" Harry asked. Dumbledore looked at Katherine as if this was something he did not want to discuss in front of her.

"He's going to tell me everything anyways." Katherine said. Dumbledore smiled.

"Well, I arrived down there just in time to pull Quirrell off you." Dumbledore said.

"Why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" questioned Harry.

"Your mother died to save you. Voldemort cannot understand love nor can he understand that love creates a powerful protection. Since Quirrell was sharing with Voldemort could not touch you because of your mother's love."

"How did I get the Stone?"

"Well, that is something that my brilliant mind surprised me with. See, only the person who wished to find the Stone, not use it, would receive it. Ah, my brilliant mind." Dumbledore looked at the pile of candy at the foot of Harry's bed.

"Where'd that come from?" Harry asked.

"What happened is a secret, so the whole school knows. These are gifts from your admirers." Dumbledore picked up a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. "As a young man, I had a most unfortunate encounter with a vomit flavored one. Miss Peters, would you like one?"

"Sure." Katherine said as Dumbledore tossed her a bean. She put it in her mouth. Bit into it. Her entire face contorted, she grabbed a tissue, and spat out the bean. She then began to gag and make horrible disgusting noises.

"Vomit?" Dumbledore asked amused at her performance.

"Worse. Buttered popcorn."

* * *

><p>All four of them were sitting in the Great Hall. Harry was completely scar free, except for his lightning bolt shaped one. Katherine, however, had a huge cut that reached from her hairline down a centimeter under her eye. It stopped bleeding, though. The Great Hall was decorated with Slytherin banners because they had won the House Cup.<p>

"Another year gone, but don't worry summer is coming so you can forget everything you learned." Dumbledore said to the students. "The House Cup points are these: In fourth, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve; in third, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty two; in second, Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty six; and, in first, five hundred and twenty two."

Slytherins erupted with applause and cheering. Draco smiled joyously at Katherine, she returned the smile because she could not remain angry at a friend.

"Yes, good job, Slytherin, but I need to award some new points in light of recent events." Dumbledore announced.

Everyone fell silent. The Slytherins' smiles fell.

"First, to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best played chess game ever, I award him fifty points."

It was the Gryffindors turn to erupt in cheers. Percy was yelling to the other prefects that Ron was his brother. Silence fell again.

"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger for the cool use of logic in the face of fire, I award her fifty points."

Gryffindors shouted ever louder than before. Hermione fell with her head in her arms crying of happiness. The Hall fell silent in anticipation.

"Third, to Miss Katherine Peters for knowing that sometimes her own life is not as important as the person next to her, I award her fifty points."

Gryffindors yelled their bloody heads off. Katherine stood up and graced everyone with a regal wave. She smiled broadly.

When she sat down, she whispered to her. "I should be foolish more often; we get points!" Silence fell once more.

"Fourth, to Mr. Harry Potter for outstanding courage, I award him sixty points."

The Gryffindors were shaking the tables with their screaming. They were tied with Slytherin. Everyone held their breath.

"And lastly, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to enemies, but even more to stand up to our friends, I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Gryffindors shouted, screamed, screech, and yelled. The Great Hall moved a couple of inches. Professor Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand with a forced smile. Dumbledore clapped his hands and the banners changed to roaring lions.

* * *

><p>Soon, they were all on the Hogwarts Express, and then they were at King's Cross. Katherine said good bye to the trio and followed Draco to find his parents. Harry was harassed by his uncle to get his bottom in the car. He said bye to Ron and Hermione smiling.<p>

"What's so funny, Harry?" Ron asked.

"The Dursleys don't know that we're not allowed to do magic. I'm going to have so much fun."


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own anything except Katherine.**

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><p><em>Chapter Three<em>

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Harry Potter. Can't go anywhere with getting your picture taken, huh, Potter?" Draco Malfoy sneered after watching Gilderoy Lockhart and Harry have photos taken for the _Daily Prophet._

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry said.

"Oh and Weasley's here also. Weasley, how could you afford to walk in here?" Malfoy smirked as Ron turned as red as his hair. Ron made a rude gesture and pointed it at Malfoy. "Manners, Weasley, don't you know a lady is present?"

"Hey, Harry. Ron." Katherine said appearing from behind Malfoy.

"Draco, who are you talking to?" A tall white blond haired man said.

"Potter." Malfoy muttered. Mr. Malfoy stared at Harry's scar.

"I hoped that I would get to meet you, Mr. Potter." Mr. Malfoy used his serpent-headed cane to brush back Harry's bangs to better see his scar.

"Ron, let's go outside; Lockhart's crowd is too huge." Mr. Weasley made his way over with a young red haired girl.

"Well, Arthur Weasley, I hope the Ministry is paying you overtime." Mr. Malfoy put his hand in red haired girl's cauldron and pulled out an ancient, destroyed copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration._ "I see not. Tell me, what's the point of being a disgrace if no one pays you?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than any of his children.

"I have a different opinion on being a disgrace, Malfoy." Mr. Weasley gritted his teeth.

"Clearly," Mr. Malfoy looked at Hermione. "The company you keep. Seriously, could you sink lower?"

Mr. Weasley sprang at Mr. Malfoy. They crashed into a bookshelf, which hit another bookshelf, which hit another, which hit another, until the bookshop was full of piles of books.

"Get him!" shouted Fred, George, and Katherine. The bookshop assistant was yelling at them to stop it. Hagrid came over and pulled the two apart. Mr. Weasley had a split lip and Mr. Malfoy had a black eye. Mr. Malfoy wrenched himself free and gave the girl her book back.

"Katherine, Draco, let's go." Mr. Malfoy strutted out of the bookshop.

"See you later." Katherine smiled. Draco took her arm and led her out.

* * *

><p>Katherine arrived at Hogwarts on September first to see Hermione, not Ron and Harry, at the Gryffindor table. She sat down next to Hermione.<p>

"Where are the boys?" Katherine asked. She noticed the red haired girl from Flourish and Blotts sitting on the other side of Hermione.

"I don't know. I didn't see them on the train." Hermione frowned.

"Hello, I'm Katherine." Katherine said to the red haired girl.

"Ginny." The girl piped up.

"Ron's sister?" Katherine questioned as the girl turned red.

"Yeah." muttered Ginny.

"Well, you're in Gryffindor, so you're not going to be like all . . . your . . . siblings. Oh, never mind." Katherine smiled at Ginny, who smiled back.

The Welcoming Feast went by and still no sign of Harry and Ron. Percy started to get worried. He messed with his Prefect badge and kept pushing his glasses back up on his nose. When Dumbledore dismissed them, Percy escorted the first years to the Gryffindor Common Room. Katherine and Hermione, being the awesome second years they were, took a shortcut to Gryffindor Tower. They saw a red haired boy and a jet black untidy haired boy standing in front of the Fat Lady trying to figure out the password.

"There you are!" Hermione said as the boys turned around.

"I heard that you got expelled for crashing a flying car." Katherine said peering at them with her green eyes.

"We didn't get expelled." Ron said.

"You flew here?" Hermione asked sounding like Professor McGonagall.

"Just tell us the password." Ron sighed.

"'Wattlebird,' but that is not the point." Hermione was gathering breath to continue her lecture, but was interrupted by the Fat Lady opening to show all of Gryffindor House awake and waiting for the two troublemakers.

Katherine moved to the far corner of the common room and watched as people congratulated Ron and Harry. Hermione stood next to Katherine with a scowl on her face.

"One day, their luck will run out." Katherine whispered.

"Well, if they keep getting encouragement like this, their luck will run out when they're doing something completely idiotic." Hermione replied keeping her eyes on Ron and Harry.

* * *

><p>The next morning at breakfast, Katherine was sitting with Draco at the Slytherin table. She noticed that Hermione was ignoring Ron and Harry. The owls arrived with the morning post. Draco's eagle owl, Orion, brought treats from Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. Draco handed her a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans with the buttered popcorn ones meticulously taken out by a house elf.<p>

**"STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE!"**

Katherine looked up to see a Howler screeching at a very red Ron Weasley. Draco smiled triumphantly as he saw Ron slip lower and lower into his seat.

**"WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD HAVE DIED! YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE AND WE WILL DRAG YOU HOME!"**

The Howler caught on fire and roasted in the ashes. The Slytherins laughed maliciously. Katherine couldn't help smiling. She saw Professor McGonagall handing out course schedules.

"Peters. Where's Peters?" Professor McGonagall asked holding the last schedule.

"Over there, Professor." Hermione said pointing at Katherine.

"MISS PETERS, GET OVER HERE!" Professor McGonagall yelled. Katherine grinned amused. She strutted over to her Head of House.

After learning about Mandrakes and listening to how Ron broke his wand, the four of them were in Gilderoy Lockhart's class. Harry had just received a mocking from Draco because some first year took Harry's picture and asked him to sign it. The situation was made worse by Lockhart signing a picture with Harry.

Harry raced into Lockhart's classroom, picked a seat in the back, and piled Lockhart's books on his desk. Katherine, Hermione, and Ron sat next to him.

"Isn't he gorgeous?" Katherine asked Hermione as they watched Lockhart smiling at all his students.

"I know!" Hermione squealed. Lockhart cleared his throat and picked up his book _Travels with Trolls._

"Me," he pointed to his winking portrait on the cover. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile Award, but I hardly ever mention that."

The girls in the room oohed and sighed. Lockhart threw his gold hair back and the girls nearly fainted. Katherine was lost in Lockhart's blue eyes.

"Now, since you all have my books, I thought we'd have a quiz today. Nothing serious, just to see how well you've read them." Lockhart said as he handed out papers. Once the test was over, Lockhart looked through them.

"Now, Miss Hermione Granger and Miss Katherine Peters were the only ones to get all the questions right. Where are you?" Lockhart asked. Hermione and Katherine blushed as they raised their hands. "Excellent. Twenty points to Gryffindor."

Hermione and Katherine fainted. Katherine's last thought before blacking out was _Oh, Gilderoy._


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

"I made it!" Katherine shouted as she ran into the Great Hall on Friday night.

"Made what?" Hermione asked.

"The Quidditch team, of course! You're looking at Gryffindor's newest Chaser!" Katherine's smile was past her ears.

"Congratulations!" Hermione smiled.

"The tryouts were an ordeal, though."

"What happened?"

"I don't own my own broom, so I had to use one of the school's Snail brooms. You know the ones that get passed by butterflies."

"Why don't you buy a broom?"

"Too expensive. Besides, I have to save my money for school supplies for seven years."

"That's too bad."

"Ya."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Katherine was shaken awake by Angelina Johnson, another Chaser. Katherine knocked her hand away, but Katherine kept shaking her.<p>

"Go away." Katherine growled pulling the sheets over her head.

"Get up. Wood wants to start practice early." Angelina sounded like she'd rather go kill Wood than wake up this early. Katherine reluctantly got out of her warm bed and changed into her Quidditch robes.

When she made it to the changing room on the Quidditch field, everyone was there except Harry. Fred and George were sitting looking annoyed. Katie Bell and Angelina were falling asleep next to each other. Katherine chose the most comfortable corner and fell asleep there.

"Harry!" Oliver's voice cut through Katherine's nap and she jerked herself awake. Oliver then began to lecture the team about plays he had come up with during the break in which he, apparently, had nothing to do.

"Alright, let's go practice." Oliver grabbed his broom and led the team out of changing room. They had been in there so long that the sun was up. Soon, the team was all up in the air. Katherine noticed Colin Creevey taking pictures. She started posing for him.

"How's this, Colin?" She said while doing a handstand on her broomstick.

"Why is that first year taking pictures? He could be a Slytherin spy." Oliver frowned.

"The Slytherins don't need a spy." Fred said as Katherine flipped off her broom and landed on the ground gracefully.

"Why not?" Oliver asked.

"They're here." The rest of the Gryffindor team landed and Oliver ran over to the Slytherin Quidditch team.

"Flint! I booked the field today! Get lost!" Wood screamed. Flint grinned mockingly.

"We have a note from Professor Snape. _'I give the Slytherin team permission to practice today due to the need to train their new Seeker.'_" Flint said.

"You've got a new Seeker? Who?" Wood asked distracted. Draco waltzed out from behind the Slytherin team.

"Me." Draco smirked.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's boy?" Fred asked with dislike.

"Glad you mentioned Draco's father; we wanted to show you the gifts he gave us." All the Slytherins smiled more broadly. Eight brand new, highly polished brooms with the words _Nimbus Two Thousand and One_ in gold gleamed underneath the Gryffindors' noses.

"Came out last month. Outstrips everything." Flint mocked.

"Katherine, my dad bought one for you." Draco held out the eighth Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Katherine took it and she could already feel the power inside of it.

"Tell him he shouldn't have." Katherine said.

"Oh, look, invasion." Flint said as Ron and Hermione made their way over.

"What's going on? What's Malfoy doing here?" Ron asked Harry.

"I'm the new Seeker for Slytherin, Weasley. The Gryffindors here were drooling over my father's presents." Draco sneered as Ron gaped at the brooms.

"Draco," Katherine whispered so that only he could hear.

"You all should raffle off those Cleansweeps; I bet a museum would take them." Draco said clearly ignoring Katherine. The Slytherins howled with laughter.

"At least the Gryffindor team is compromised with people who didn't buy their way in; they have pure talent." Hermione said sharply. Draco looked smugger.

"I don't remember asking you, you filthy little Mudblood." Draco spat.

Flint and Katherine dove in front of Draco to stop Fred and George from jumping him. Katie screeched, _"How dare you!"_ Ron pulled out his broken wand and yelled, "You'll pay for that, Malfoy!" and pointed it under Katherine's arm at Draco.

A sound like a gun going off echoed around the pitch, a jet of green light came out of the wrong end of Ron's wand, the blast hit him and sent him flying backwards.

"Ron!" Hermione squealed. Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He gave a belch and several slugs slowly slithered out of his mouth. Everyone stared at him for a moment.

The Slytherins howled louder than they ever had with laughter. Flint was leaning on his broom for support as he laughed. Draco was on the ground pounding his fists while guffawing. The Gryffindors surrounded Ron, watching as more slugs came out, no one wanted to touch him.

"Let's take him to Hagrid's." Harry said as he and Hermione grabbed Ron's arms. Katherine followed them clutching her broom.

Hagrid gave Ron a bucket.

"Who was he tryin' ter curse?" Hagrid asked.

"Malfoy called Hermione something that made everyone go insane." Harry said.

"He called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid." Ron said between slugs. Hagrid was outraged.

"He didn'!" Hagrid growled at Hermione.

"He did, but I don't know what it means." Hermione admitted. Katherine, at first, was shocked that Hermione did not know what something was, but then thought that Hermione probably wouldn't look up profanity.

"A Mudblood is an insulting name for someone who is Muggle-born." Katherine explained.

"Katherine, why did you protect Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Katherine countered.

"He insulted you." Harry said.

"What?" Katherine questioned.

"Why would she not defend Malfoy? He bought her a broom." Ron said.

"Why would I be insulted?" Katherine asked.

"Katherine, why don't you just go and snog Malfoy? You could thank him properly for the present." Ron sneered with slug slime all over his mouth.

"What is your problem?" Katherine nearly screamed at him.

"You didn't defend Hermione! You defended Malfoy!" Ron accused correctly.

"And that makes me evil?"

"Go snog Malfoy."

"Hermione," Katherine said in a gentle tone, though she looked ready to kill Ron. "I protected Malfoy because if Fred and George hurt him, their lives would become really hard. I do not agree with what Malfoy said and I will talk to him."

"I understand." Hermione said as Katherine walked towards the door.

"But Katherine won't talk to him. She's afraid that he gets mad he'll take away her broom." Ron said. Katherine turned around to face him.

"Ronald, I'm poorer than you, but I don't choose my friends because of how rich they are." Katherine looked at Ron, looked at Harry, back at Ron, smirked, and left.

* * *

><p>She watched Slytherin practice, and once they were done, she hopped into the air. The Nimbus Two Thousand and One felt like a feather underneath her. She zipped this way and that. The wind rushed through her hair.<p>

She flew as high as she could stand. Then she sat a moment looking down at the castle. She turned the nose of the broom down and accelerated. The ground raced closer to her. She was grinning as the broom flew faster and faster. Six inches from the ground, she pulled up. The broom wobbled a little bit, but she managed not to crash.

Clapping from the stadium made her look behind her. A tall dark haired boy was the source of the sound. She flew over to him and flipped into the stands.

"You are very show-offy." He smiled with gray eyes twinkling.

"Not all the time." Katherine grinned at the extremely handsome boy.

"The Wronski Feint was impressive though. First time?"

"Yep."

"Even more impressive. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. Cedric Diggory." He held out his hand.

"Katherine Peters." She accepted his hand. Cedric sat down admiring her new broom.

"How old are you?" Cedric asked.

"Twelve. I'm a second year."

"And you can do the Wronski Feint? Are you the Seeker?"

"Nah, Harry's Seeker. I'm a Chaser."

"Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Yes."

"So, you're in Gryffindor."

"And you're in?"

"Hufflepuff." Cedric said. Katherine looked down at her broom.

"Would you like to try it out?" Katherine offered.

"I couldn't. It's your broom."

"Go ahead. I insist."

Cedric took the broom and flew off. He did flips and zagged through the three hoops. He swooped over an inch above Katherine's head. When he landed, the smile on his face said one thing, _Fantastic._

* * *

><p>Hours later, Cedric and Katherine were sitting and talking still. The light was slowly going away, but neither of them noticed.<p>

"What are your parents like?" Katherine asked.

"They're very proud of me. I am told that I do well in school." Cedric said embarrassed to be bragging about himself. "And your parents?"

"Dead." Katherine looked at her hands.

"I'm sorry." Cedric said sincerely.

"They died while battling Death Eaters when I was one."

"Who do you live with?"

"My parents' best friends. A pair of Muggles."

"You don't seem to like them."

"I like them, but they are the type of people who were never supposed to have children. They like to travel too much by themselves."

"So, do they take you with them?"

"Nope. I spend almost all of my time with the Malfoys."

"The Malfoys?"

"I live down the street from them. Since I've been friends with Draco since I was four, I am kind of a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy."

"Are they nice to you?"

"They're the ones who bought this broom."

"Very nice, then." Cedric smiled. His stomach growled. "What? I just had lunch."

"Cedric, I think it's almost time for dinner." Katherine said as she looked at the sun setting.

"Oh. We've been having a great conversation, haven't we?" grinned Cedric.

"We have." Katherine beamed.

"Shall we go to dinner?"

"Let's."

Katherine and Cedric walked to the Great Hall. They made promises to meet up after the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin game. Hopefully, it would be the start of a great friendship.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN

OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

This disturbing message was written in blood. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was hanging from a torch by her tail. She was frozen, wide-eyed, and stiff. An enormous puddle water was underneath it. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood in the middle of the corridor. All of the students coming from the Halloween Feast stopped and trapped the trio.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You're next, filthy Mudbloods!" Draco shouted from the front of the Slytherin group. Suddenly, a hand grabbed Draco's arm and Draco disappeared in a huff. He was dragged into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Hey! Let go!" Draco said trying to see how dragged him into a girl's bathroom.

"What are you doing here?" Moaning Myrtle came out of her stall.

"Hello, Myrtle! Let me talk to Draco quickly, and then you and I can catch up." Katherine said cheerfully. Myrtle smiled and went back in her stall.

"What is your problem?" Draco hissed.

"Would you stop saying Mudblood?" Katherine asked.

"Are you going soft?"

"I will not stand to have my friends insulted, Draco."

"Oh, I suppose you tell this to Potter when he insults me."

"Of course I do."

"Katherine, I will call Granger a Mudblood."

"You will not."

"I will. Katherine, they are lower than us. They do not deserve to do magic."

"You're just jealous."

"Katherine," Draco stepped closer to her, his gray eyes softening. "Please stop talking nonsense. You need to go home soon."

"My home is full of Muggles." Katherine said turning to leave. Draco caught her arm.

"No, your home is with us."

* * *

><p>The Chamber of Secrets was all the students could talk about. Ron theorized that Draco Malfoy was the Heir to Slytherin. When it became apparent that Katherine would not confirm that theory, Hermione went off in search of a way to find this out.<p>

"I think I know how we can prove that Malfoy is the Heir." Hermione said cautiously while the four of them were in the most secluded corner of the common room.

"How?" Harry asked.

"It's very difficult. Also, we'll be breaking about fifty school rules." Hermione said nervously.

"Then we don't get caught." Katherine said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We need to ask Malfoy questions without him knowing it's us." Hermione explained.

"That's impossible." Harry said.

"No, it's not. We'll make a Polyjuice Potion." Hermione said.

"Huh?" Ron and Harry asked.

"It lets you transform yourself into someone else. We could change into four Slytherins and no one would know it's us. We'll get our answers, and then the potion will wear off." Hermione explained.

"Let's do it." Katherine said.

"Getting a hold of the recipe will be hard. The book is in the Restricted Section. Remember we need a note from a teacher to get that book." Hermione frowned.

"Well, any teacher is going to think that we just want to make it." Ron said.

"I think that if we said that we're just interested in the theory, we could stand a chance." said Hermione.

"C'mon, the teacher will have to be a right git to fall for that." Ron said.

The next day, they had a note from Lockhart giving them permission. In five minutes, they had the book they needed. Ten minutes later, they were in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione was frowning at all the complicated ingredients.

"We're going to have to steal so much." Katherine muttered.

"Doth my ears deceive me? Is Katherine worried?" Hermione teased.

"Shut up." murmured Katherine.

"Well, I think a few school rules are nothing compared to the lives of all the Muggle-borns in the school." Hermione said.

"Doth my ears deceive me? Is Hermione forcing us to break the rules?" Katherine kidded.

"We'll do it. How long will it take?" inquired Harry.

"A month." Hermione replied.

"A month? Malfoy could attack everyone by then!" Ron said outraged. Hermione's eyes narrowed. "But I can be patient."

* * *

><p>Katherine sat in the Great Hall calmly eating her breakfast. Harry, however, was staring at his breakfast as if it was Ron's slugs. The first game of the Quidditch season was this morning.<p>

At eleven, the school started to move towards the Quidditch pitch. Katherine and Harry entered the locker rooms and put on their robes. Katherine flicked a speck of dirt off her broom.

"Harry, you've got to show them that it takes talent not money to win. Get the Snitch or die trying." Wood said.

"No pressure." Fred, George, and Katherine said.

They walked onto the field. Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs cheered, while Slytherins booed. Flint and Wood tried to crush each other's hands when they shook them. Madam Hooch whistled the start of the game.

Katherine caught the Quaffle. She zoomed off with the Slytherin Chasers snapping at her heels. She was about to score when a Bludger crashed into her. She flew off the back of her broom, saved only by grabbing the stirrups. She swung herself back on, ignoring the pain in her stomach, and tried to chase down Flint. He scored.

The Gryffindor Chasers could not keep up with Slytherin's. Katherine was the only one who could stand a chance, but they were too fast.

As the rain started to pour, the commentator Lee Jordan said, "Sixty to nothing. Slytherin in the lead."

Katherine cursed under her breath. She willed the broom to go faster. Luckily, Wood called a time out. She and the rest of the team landed.

"What's going on?" Wood demanded as he turned to Fred and George. "Where were you two when that Bludger stopped Katherine from scoring?"

"We were stopping the other Bludger from killing Harry!" George yelled angrily. "Someone's mess with it; it won't leave Harry. It's been only following him the entire game."

"But the Bludgers are locked in Madam Hooch's office; no one could have tampered with them." Wood said anxiously.

"Listen," Harry said. "I can't catch the Snitch with both of you surrounding me. Go help the team, I'll take care of this Bludger."

"Harry, stop being a git. That thing is trying to kill you!" Fred said.

"Oliver, Harry can't handle that thing. Let's ask for an inquiry." Katherine said.

"If we stop, we forfeit!" Harry yelled. "We're not losing 'cause of some crazy Bludger! Just tell them to leave me alone, Oliver!"

"'Get the Snitch or die trying,' a fine thing to tell him." George muttered angrily.

"Ready?" Madam Hooch asked.

"Yes." Wood answered. "Fred, George, you heard Harry; leave him alone."

The game resumed. Katherine got a hold of the Quaffle and sped towards the goals. Flint flew in front of her. She flipped the nose of the broom up in order to miss a collision. Three green streaks surrounded her. Suddenly, they all turned to crash into her. She stopped. When they got within two feet, she dived. Adrian Pucey and the other Chaser crashed into each other.

Katherine continued her dive with Flint right behind her. He didn't seem that he wanted the Quaffle; he just wanted to smash Katherine into the ground. Katherine concluded that this was probably because she was the only Gryffindor player who could keep up with them. But probably because Flint is a troll and he just likes to hurt people.

Five inches from the ground, Katherine pulled up. Her broom wobbled uncontrollably. It was hard to hold it steady with one hand; the other one had the Quaffle. She heard a satisfying thud behind her as Flint and the ground met each other.

"OF COURSE KATHERINE WOULD DO A WRONSKI FEINT!" Katherine heard a voice from the Hufflepuffs scream excitedly. When she finally regained control of her broom, she looked to see Cedric applauding like a fanatic. She grinned broadly and raced towards the hoops. She scored.

The Gryffindors screamed and yelled. Katherine stood on her like she was surfing and bowed to the crowd. A loud crack made Katherine whip around. The stupid rogue Bludger hit Harry's right arm. It dangled uselessly at his side, he struggled to control his broom with one arm. Katherine gasped as Harry charged at Draco. Draco spun out of the way, Harry took his left hand off his broom, and smacked into the mud.

Madam Hooch whistled the end of the game and Harry fainted. Katherine landed and raced over to his side. Harry's jet black hair was plastered to head thanks to mud and sweat. The Snitch buzzed in his right hand.

"Let me see to him!" Lockhart glided over wearing a fluttery, glittery jade green suit.

"Professor, can you fix his arm?" Katherine asked reddening when Lockhart looked at her.

"Of course, my dear." Lockhart smiled. Harry woke up.

"Not you." Harry groaned. Katherine smacked his unhurt arm.

"Harry Potter!" Katherine scolded.

"Don't be mad at the boy; he's delirious." Lockhart said as he waved his wand ostentatiously. Harry's arm deflated. Katherine's face twisted in disgust.

"Harry, we'd better take you to the hospital wing." Ron said. He and Hermione grabbed Harry's arms and led him away.

"What spell did you use, Professor?" Katherine asked.

"_Brackium Emendo_." Lockhart replied. "Why?"

"So I know what not to use."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Harry came into the Great Hall with both arms full of every single bone. He grabbed Ron, Hermione, and Katherine. The three of them were pulled outside. They didn't stop walking until they were at the edge of the lake.<p>

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked as they all sat down.

"Dobby came to visit me." Harry said.

"Dobby!" Katherine spat out the water she was drinking.

"You know him?" Ron asked as Hermione handed Katherine a napkin.

"No." Katherine lied. "It just sounds like a silly name."

"What did he want?" Hermione asked looking at Katherine like she was crazy.

"He was the one who sealed the barrier and the one who tampered with the Bludger." Harry said.

"Well, I suppose he had a good reason." Katherine muttered.

"He's trying to get me to leave Hogwarts because the Chamber of Secrets is open and it's been opened before." Harry said as the other three gasped.

"When?" Hermione said.

"I don't know." Harry said. "And Colin has been petrified like Mrs. Norris."

"Malfoy must have been mad after the game and took it out on Colin." Ron theorized. Katherine frowned.

"You've got the wrong idea about Draco." Katherine whispered.

* * *

><p>Lockhart started a dueling club. The four second years went to the first meeting. Snape was his assistant. There was a long rectangular stage in the middle of the Great Hall. Lockhart and Snape dueled for less than a second. Snape hit Lockhart with the Disarming Charm. Hermione and Katherine looked anxiously at Lockhart who had flown backwards.<p>

"Well, Professor Snape and I will put you into pairs." Lockhart said when he got to his feet and fixed his hair. Snape paired Ron with Seamus Finnigan. Hermione with Bulstrode, who was a troll wearing a dress. Harry with Draco. Before Katherine could be paired with an awful Slytherin, a hand grabbed her. She found herself face-to-face with Cedric Diggory.

"Hey, Cedric!" She said cheerfully. Her face fell a little at the stormy look on Cedric's face. "Oh, after the Quidditch game."  
>"We were supposed to meet up." Cedric whispered, the stormy look dissipating.<p>

"I'm so sorry, Cedric! I got distracted with Harry's arm and . . . I'm just so sorry!" Katherine said hurriedly. Cedric smiled slightly.

"Don't hurt yourself." He said with a gentle tone and smiled kindly. "I understand. But we've got time now. Let's hang out."

"Face each other!" Lockhart called. "Now, bow!"

Cedric and Katherine dipped into their most ostentatious and flamboyant bows. They giggled as they did.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart called. "Remember we are only using disarming spells. Ready. Set-"

Katherine heard a thud when Draco hit Harry with a spell. Harry flew backwards. Katherine shot Draco a furious look; Draco raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"_Rictusempra!_" Harry shouted. Draco was doubled over in laughter as the Tickling Charm did its work. Harry hesitated.

"_Tarantallegna!_" Draco pointed his wand at Harry's legs. Harry started to dance around with his legs flailing.

"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart jumped up and down trying to get the dueling second years to listen to him.

"_Finite Incantatem!_" Snape shouted. Harry's feet stopped jerking and Draco stopped laughing.

Ron was furiously apologizing to Seamus for whatever his broken wand had done. Millicent Bulstrode had Hermione in a headlock; the latter was whimpering in pain. Katherine and Harry jumped forward, and, with great difficulty, pulled Bulstrode off.

"I think I should teach you how to block spells." Lockhart said strutting onto the platform. "Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, will you volunteer?"

"That is not wise." said Snape as he glided like a bat onto the platform. "Longbottom cannot perform simple spells; I fear we'd have nothing left of Finch-Fletchley afterwards. How about Malfoy and Potter?"

Harry and Draco walked onto separate ends of the platform. Lockhart showed Harry a wand motion in which the performer drops his/her wand. Snape smirked and whispered something in Draco's ear.

"Ready! Set! Go!" Lockhart said.

"_Serpensortia!_" Draco waved his wand quickly. A black snake burst out of the wand. It was angry and was made even angrier by Lockhart blasting it up in the air. The snake slithered over to Justin Finch-Fletchley, poised to strike. Harry started hissing at the snake. It looked at him and slumped to the floor. Katherine stopped breathing. _Harry's a Parselmouth!_

Snape made the snake disappear. Ron grabbed Harry and dragged him, with Hermione in tow, out of the Great Hall. Cedric went to Justin's side with Katherine following him.

"Justin, are you alright?" Cedric asked concerned.

"What's Potter's problem? I've always been nice to him." Justin said looking pale.

"Justin, Harry likes you. He wouldn't provoke a snake to attack you." Katherine said and Cedric nodded in agreement.

"He's a Parselmouth! And d'you know who else was a Parselmouth?" Justin plowed on without waiting for an answer. "Salazar Slytherin!"

"Are you suggesting that Harry's the Heir of Slytherin?" Katherine clenched her fist in anger.

"Well, who else could it be?"


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six_

Another attack gripped the school. Justin and Nearly Headless Nick were the newest petrified victims. Justin's theory that Harry was the Heir was circulating around the school. Only Fred and George treated it like a joke.

"Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through!" Fred would call as he and George escorted Harry through the hallways.

"Out of the way. Harry's off to the Chamber for a cup of tea with his fanged servant." George would chortle.

Ginny Weasley was looking horrible. She hardly slept. She hardly ate. Percy was getting really worried about her.

* * *

><p>The term ended and Katherine was standing in the Gryffindor Common Room with her trunk. Hermione was reading. Harry and Ron were whispering excitedly about Quidditch. Katherine cleared her throat; all three of them looked up at her.<p>

"Where are you going?" Ron asked dumbfounded.

"The Malfoys." Katherine replied embarrassed.

"But Draco is staying." Harry said confused.

"Yeah," Katherine shifted awkwardly. "I convinced him to stay."

"Why aren't you staying?" Ron asked. Katherine wished Hermione would stop staring at her with piercing brown eyes.

"Draco's parents want me to spend Christmas with them." Katherine asked trying to beat around the bush.

"Why?" Hermione drew out that word as if it had ten syllables. Katherine looked at the floor.

"They got mad because I told Draco to stop calling you a Mudblood. So, they are going to have a _talk_ with me." Katherine made a face, but she still wouldn't look at them. Suddenly, someone threw their arms around her. She looked up only to get a mouthful of curly hair.

"I knew you'd keep your promises." Hermione said. Katherine returned the hug.

"I always do." Hermione stepped away. "Good luck with the potion. Draco's innocent. Merry Christmas."

* * *

><p>"Who was right?" Katherine said in a singsong voice. Harry had just finished telling her about his and Ron's Polyjuice adventure. Draco had no idea who was the Heir, and it was proven that he was not it either.<p>

"Shut up." Ron muttered. Katherine just grinned wider.

"Where's Hermione?" Katherine asked.

"In the Hospital Wing." Ron answered.

"Why?" Katherine's eyes widened in concern.

"She got a hair off Bulstrode's robes and it turned out to be cat." Ron slightly smiled at the idea of Hermione-cat.

* * *

><p>"The match is cancelled!" Professor McGonagall shouted into a megaphone right before the Quidditch House Cup match was about to be played. Katherine and Harry looked at each other stupefied. Professor McGonagall marched over to them as Ron came over.<p>

"Potter, Peters, Weasley, come with me." Professor McGonagall said with a strained expression on her face.

"What about the match?" Harry asked.

"Potter, there has been a double attack." Professor McGonagall explained.

"I didn't do it!" Harry protested automatically. Soon, they were in front of the Hospital Wing. Professor McGonagall gingerly opened the door.

"Hermione!" Ron groaned.

Hermione was on a hospital bed with her eyes wide and glassy. Katherine clenched her fists in anger, turned on her heel, and raced down the hallway.

"Miss Peters! MISS PETERS!" Professor McGonagall yelled at Katherine.

Katherine did not stop running until she reached Hagrid's hut. She banged on the door while screaming his name.

"Katherine!" Hagrid said in surprise. Katherine was radiating fury.

"You!" She growled. "You opened the Chamber of Secrets again!"

"Katherine, I -"

"NOW HERMIONE'S PETRIFIED, TOO! YOU'RE JUST LIKE AN ASSASSIN, AREN'T YOU? KILL YOUR FRIENDS WHILE THEIR BACKS ARE TURNED!"

* * *

><p>"Where d'you go last night?" Katherine asked Ron and Harry the next morning at dinner.<p>

"Hagrid's." Ron said with food spitting out of his mouth. Katherine's face twisted with disgust.

"Dumbledore's been sacked and Hagrid's been sent to prison." Harry said.

"Good. Teach him a lesson." Katherine smiled looking at the staff table.

"Good?" Harry asked flabbergasted.

"He opened the Chamber twice. Hermione's petrified because of him."

"Hagrid didn't open it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! Hagrid's monster fears the Chamber's monster. Hagrid is innocent." Harry said firmly. Katherine's head hit the table.

"Why can't I control my temper?" She moaned.

"Katherine, look up. Look what was in Hermione's hand." Harry handed Katherine a sheet of torn paper.

It was about the Basilisk, a giant snake. Underneath it, Hermione had written in her neat script, _Pipes._

"What's this rubbish?" Katherine asked.

"Don't you get it? The monster is a Basilisk. I'm a Parselmouth and that's why I can hear it. It kills by people only looking at it in the eye, but no one has. They've all seen reflections of it and are petrified. It's been using the pipes to get around." Harry said excitedly. Katherine's jaw dropped.

"The entrance? What if the entrance is in a bathroom?" Katherine looked equally excited. "Moaning Myrtle's!"

"C'mon! We've got to tell McGonagall!" Ron said.

"She'll be in the staff room soon." Katherine said as all three of them went out of the Great Hall. They were about to enter the room, when Professor McGonagall's voice amplified through the school.

"_All students will return to their dormitories right now. All teachers come to the staff room._"

The three, not wanting to obey orders, went into the staff room and hid in a closet. Soon, all the teachers were inside.

"Well, it's finally happened." Professor McGonagall said shaking. "A student has been taken down into the Chamber of Secrets."

"Who?" Professor Flitwick squeaked.

"Ginny Weasley." Professor McGonagall answered. Ron slide down the closet wall. Katherine and Harry exchanged looks.

"This is the end of Hogwarts. We'll have to send the students home." Professor McGonagall lamented as the staff door barged open. Professor Lockhart, with his glittery robes, came in.

"Sorry, fell asleep. What I'd miss?" Lockhart smiled his dazzling smile.

"Here is the very man," Snape said. "A girl has been taken into the Chamber, Lockhart. You can go get her."

The teachers all smiled at him. Lockhart looked around pale. He seemed ugly now, less sure of himself.

"W-well, I g-guess I'll be in my office . . . g-getting ready." Lockhart stumbled out.

When the teachers were all gone, the three ran to Lockhart's office. They found him in the midst of getting ready to leave. Katherine pointed her wand at him.

"Leaving, Professor?" She asked. Lockhart paled at the sight of her wand.

"Yes." Lockhart replied.

"I don't think so. You're coming with us. We know where the entrance to the Chamber is." Katherine said as Harry took out his unbroken wand and Ron took out his broken wand. Lockhart's eyes widen in fear at the sight of Ron's wand.

Soon, all of them were in the Chamber. Katherine and Harry had run a little ahead. They heard a sound and turned around to see Lockhart brandishing Ron's wand.

"Now, the gig is up! I'll go back up and tell them how you three lost your minds at the sight of the girl's body." Lockhart promised. "Funny, I was never really good at anything, except memory charms. I didn't do any of the stuff I claimed to. But that doesn't matter. Say good-bye to your memories."

He raised Ron's broken wand high and yelled, "_Obliviate!_"

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Harry grabbed Katherine and they ran to avoid getting hit by the falling ceiling. The next moment, they were covered in dust and separated from Ron by a giant pile of rubble.

"Ron!" Harry called.

"You go on ahead. Lockhart's screwed up his own mind." Ron's voice called from the other side of the rubble. Katherine pulled on Harry's sleeve and they walked on.

"Remember to shield your eyes and watch out for the Basilisk." Harry said. They reached a wall with stone snakes on it. Harry hissed and the wall opened for them. They pulled out their wands as they looked at the Chamber of Secrets.

A giant statue of Salazar Slytherin's face loomed in front of them. In front of the statue was Ginny lying face down.

"Ginny!" Harry and Katherine cried. They ran over to her, Harry dropped to his knees, his wand flew away. Katherine dropped down at Ginny's head, and placed the red head in her lap.

"Ginny, please don't be dead! Please!" Harry muttered worriedly. Her face was as white as the marble, she was glacier cold, and her eyes were shut closed.

"Ginny, please wake up!" Harry muttered getting desperate.

"She won't wake." a soft voice said. Katherine looked up to see a tall, black-haired boy walking over to them while waving Harry's wand.

"Jesus Christ, you're hot!" Katherine exclaimed.

"Tom Riddle?" Harry asked flabbergasted. He turned his attention back to Ginny. "Is she alive?"

"Just." Tom Riddle replied.

"Are you a ghost?" Harry asked.

"A memory," Riddle said. "Preserved in that diary for years."

"Harry, we need to get out of here." Katherine said as she lifted Ginny into her arms. Harry held out his hand to Riddle for his wand. Riddle smiled.

"We've got to go!" Harry said urgently. "The Basilisk -"

"Won't come till it's called." Riddle finished for Harry.

"Just give me my wand." Harry said. Riddle smiled again.

"I've waited a long time to talk to you, Harry Potter. Ever since, Ginny Weasley started writing in my journal about _you._ It was tedious listening to her troubles, but I was patient and kind. I made her love me. I grew powerful and I began to posses little Miss Weasley."

"You didn't!" Katherine cried.

"I did. It was Ginny Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets. She eventually grew to distrust the diary and threw it away. Only for it to be found by you. In this, I preserved my sixteen-year-old self in the pages. I did this so I could continue my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin's, noble work."

"Well, you failed." Harry smiled victoriously. "Soon the Mandrake Draught will revive everyone you petrified."

"Aren't you listening? I don't care about killing Mudbloods anymore; I only want to kill _you._" Riddle said quietly. Katherine let go of Ginny and stood in front of hair with her wand an centimeter from Riddle's nose.

"Try it." Katherine said through gritted teeth. Riddle waved her wand out of his face. He gripped the front of robes and pulled her so they were nose-to-nose. He glared down at her trying to intimidate her. She smiled and spat on him. He released her.

"Harry Potter, I have a question for you." Riddle said wiping his face. "How did you escape Lord Voldemort?"

"Why do you care? Voldemort was after your time." Harry said.

"Voldemort is my past, present, and future." Tom Riddle used Harry's wand to trace the words, _Tom Marvolo Riddle._ He waved the wand and the letters rearranged themselves to say, _I Am Lord Voldemort._

"I stopped using my filthy Muggle father's name as soon as I could." Riddle said. He was about to say more, but a phoenix flew into the Chamber carrying the Sorting Hat.

"Hello, Falkes." Harry said as the phoenix landed on his shoulder.

"Is this all that Dumbledore sends you?" Riddle laughed. "Now, let us test the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against Harry Potter."

Riddle hissed and the statue's mouth began to open. Katherine grabbed Ginny. Katherine buried her face in Ginny's robes. She peeked out only to see a giant black snake about to eat Harry. She watched helplessly. Suddenly and thankfully, Fawkes attacked the snake and punctured its eyes. Riddle hissed loudly as if he was yelling.

"Help me," Harry muttered. Katherine grabbed her wand ready to join Harry's side, but Riddle grabbed her and held her tight.

"Oh no, my dear. This is strictly between Potter and me." Riddle purred in her ear. She struggled to get free.

Harry grabbed the Sorting Hat and put it on his head. Something must have hit Harry because he stumbled as he pulled the Hat off of him. A gleaming silver sword appeared in Harry's hand. The Basilisk lunged and Harry thrusted the sword into the snake's mouth. The snake was dead and Harry limped his way over to Katherine clutching his arm which had a long fang in it.

"You're dead, Harry Potter. Even the bird knows it; he's crying." Riddle said still holding onto Katherine. Fawkes's tears fell onto Harry's wound. Harry started to look better.

"Oi, Riddle! You forgot something." Katherine laughed.

"What, girl?" Riddle asked annoyed that someone would accuse him of forgetting something.

"Phoenix tears have healing powers." Katherine kept laughing. She kicked the diary into Harry's lap. Harry and Riddle looked at it. Then, Harry plunged the basilisk fang into the diary. Tom Riddle screamed as ink spurted out of the diary, and then he was gone.

Harry and Katherine turned when they heard a faint moan. Ginny stirred and looked at them.

"Oh, Harry," Ginny looked hysterical.

"Don't worry, Ginny. Tom and the Basilisk are gone." Harry smiled and Ginny seemed to be reassured.

"Everything's fine now." Katherine promised.

* * *

><p>Katherine was waiting outside of Dumbledore's office for Harry to finish talking to the reinstated Headmaster. She ducked behind a column as Mr. Malfoy and Dobby came out. She watched as Harry tricked Mr. Malfoy into freeing Dobby. She continued to watch as Dobby protected Harry. When Mr. Malfoy was gone, she came out of her hiding spot.<p>

"Mistress," Dobby bowed when he saw her.

"Hello, Dobby." Katherine smiled kindly to the house-elf.

"I thought you said you didn't know Dobby." Harry said.

"How could I not know Dobby? He makes the best crème brulee I have ever tasted!"

* * *

><p>The feast was a sight to behold. Hermione was back. Hagrid was back. Dumbledore was back. Gryffindor won the House Cup again. Exams had been cancelled, much to Hermione's dismay. Gilderoy Lockhart, sadly (well, not really), would not be returning the next year.<p>

Katherine, after barely surviving two years, could not wait to see what the next five had to offer.


	7. Chapter 7

**Again, I don't own anything except Katherine.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter Seven<em>

Hermione Granger, Katherine Peters, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter were forced to sit in a compartment occupied by a sleeping, raggedy man on the Hogwarts Express. Hermione's new cat, Crookshanks, was meowing in his cage. Ron's rat, Scabbers, was scurrying around in Ron's robes. Harry's owl, Hedwig, was sleeping.

After deducing that the raggedy man was Professor Lupin, the four's compartment was plunged into darkness. Neville and Ginny stumbled in. Everyone yelled as they fell over each other.

"Silence!" A hoarse voice said silently as a set of small flames illuminated the compartment. Professor Lupin was awake; he looked tired, yet alert at the same time.

Suddenly, everything felt cold. Katherine shivered from the cold outside and inside her. A black hooded figure glided into the compartment. It extended a shriveled, dead hand towards the children and Lupin.

_A one year old Katherine is in her mother's arms. Her mother coos and gently rocks her child. Tears fill the beautiful eyes of the beautiful young woman. The woman kisses her child's forehead. _

_"Honey, we have to leave soon." A handsome young man says as he walks towards his wife._

_"Do we?" The woman whispers not wanting to leave her child. The man puts a hand on her shoulder and kisses her. The two parents look down upon their daughter. They put her in her crib and whisper their goodbyes. _

_Later, the one year old Katherine woke up to hear her foster mother screaming. Her foster father read the letter out loud as if to convince himself that it wasn't a dream._

_"They're dead."_

Katherine fell into the seat. Sweat formed on her brow. She was shaking and so pale that her scar from Quirrell's stupid spell glowed red. She looked over and saw Harry had fainted. Professor Lupin said a spell that made the creature go away. Hermione slapped Harry awake.

"What was that thing?" Harry asked.

"A dementor." Lupin answered as he gave everyone chocolate and disappeared into the hallway. Everyone looked shaky. Ginny was sobbing in a corner and Hermione went over to comfort her. Katherine noticed that her hand was shaking she started to will it to stop.

"Katherine," Harry said, Katherine looked up from her shaking hand. "You look as bad as me. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Katherine said as she rose and left the compartment. She walked two cars down and founded Draco with his two cronies. Draco smiled when he saw her.

"Get out, boys." He said to Crabbe and Goyle. Draco's smile disappeared when he saw Katherine's shaking hands. He drew down the blinds, took her hands, and led her to a seat. He sat down next to her still holding her hands.

"What happened?" He asked concerned. Katherine looked down using her bangs to shield her eyes.

"The dementor." She shivered. Draco pulled her into his embrace. He soothingly rubbed her back.

"What did you see?" He asked quietly. She screwed up her face in pain.

"My last memory of my parents." Katherine whispered with a lump in her throat. Draco placed a hand against the back of her head and pressed her face into his chest.

"The dementors only showed you one memory. That means you have had more good than bad memories. Look to the good, not the bad." Draco said.

* * *

><p>"Potter! Granger! Peters! I want to see you three." Professor McGonagall said when they were inside the castle. Harry, Hermione, and Katherine followed the Head of Gryffindor House into her office.<p>

"Well, Potter and Peters, Professor Lupin sent an owl saying that you both were sick on the train." Professor McGonagall said. Harry and Katherine went red. Madam Pomfrey walked in.

"Oh, it's you, Potter." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Been doing something stupidly dangerous, again?" Katherine sniggered.

"As if you're any better, Peters! You've still got that scar from two years ago." Madam Pomfrey said. Katherine stopped laughing and starting scowling.

"Poppy, it was a dementor." Professor McGonagall said as she and Madam Pomfrey shared a look. Madam Pomfrey pushed back Harry's and Katherine's bangs to feel their foreheads.

"They're both clammy. Of course the dementors will greatly affect those that are delicate." Madam Pomfrey said.

"I'm not delicate!" Katherine and Harry bristled.

"Of course you're not, dears." Madam Pomfrey said distractedly.

"Do they need to spend the night in the hospital wing?" Professor McGonagall said.

"I'm fine!" Harry jumped up in annoyance. Katherine smiled a charming smile to the two staff.

"I'm fine, too." She said still smiling to disarm them.

"Well, they should have some chocolate." Madam Pomfrey said.

"I've already had some." Harry said. "Professor Lupin gave some to me."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Professor McGonagall asked as Katherine and Harry nodded. "Well, wait outside while I have a word with Miss Granger."

Harry and Katherine were waiting outside the office. Katherine was leaning against the wall with her arm crossed lazily in front of chest. Harry was pacing frustrated that he was being babied. He was thirteen for Christ's sake!

"So, what's up?" Katherine asked. Harry stared at her.

"What's up? You're asking me 'what's up?'" Harry said flabbergasted.

"Yes." Katherine said amused.

"Well, besides being attacked by a dementor, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and is trying to kill me." Harry said.

"Bummer." Katherine said.

"Bummer? Someone trying to kill me is a bummer?" Harry said flabbergasted. Katherine smiled to let him know that she was kidding. The door to Professor McGonagall's office swung open.

"Good thing you came, Professor, Potter was about to strangle me." Katherine laughed.

* * *

><p>After their first Divination lesson and learning that Harry was going to die thanks to the Grim and listening to Professor McGonagall's lecture about Animagi, they had their first Care of Magical Creatures class with Professor Hagrid.<p>

They had this class with the Slytherins. Professor Hagrid walked them into a clearing on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Soon, twelve hippogriffs trotted over to them.

"Yeh wait fer the hippogriff ter 'ave the firs' move," Hagrid said. "Yeh walk toward him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. He bows back, and yeh touch him. If he don't bow, then get away."

The class looked even less excited than they had when they tried to open their books, _The Monster Book of Monsters_.

"Who wants ter go first?" Hagrid asked. Everyone took a step back, except Harry. "Great, Harry! Let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

Harry bowed to the hippogriff and his eyes started to water because he had to keep eye contact. Buckbeak looked at Harry with an orange eye. The hippogriff didn't move; it kept staring at Harry.

"Back away, Harry." Hagrid said sounding worried. But, the hippogriff bowed back. Hagrid urged him to pet Buckbeak. Harry cautiously stretched his hand forward. Buckbeak enjoyed being petted. And then, he allowed Harry to ride him. When Harry landed, the class burst out in applause.

"Alright, who else wants a go?" Hagrid asked. The rest of the class moved slowly towards the hippogriffs.

"Remember!" Hagrid called. "Don't insult 'em!"

Draco was with his cronies and they had taken over Buckbeak. Draco was stroking Buckbeak's beak.

"You're not dangerous," Draco drawled loudly so that Harry could hear him. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

Buckbeak reared up and slashed at Draco. Katherine ran over to protect Draco. She whispered soothingly to the outraged hippogriff.

"Buckbeak, he's just jealous. He knows you're the most beautiful hippogriff ever. And we all know how beautiful hippogriffs are." Katherine said. Buckbeak calmed down and let Katherine lead it away from Draco.

"I'm dying. It's killed me." Draco whimpered holding his arm. Katherine walked up close to Hagrid and acted as if he said something.

"Of course, Professor Hagrid," She said. "I'll take Draco to the hospital wing. I understand that you need to do the responsible thing and that is staying with your class or you'd take him yourself."

"Thank yeh." Hagrid said. Katherine helped Draco up. He leaned on her as they walked to the hospital wing.

"That oaf!" Draco growled. "What till father hears."

Katherine stayed quiet. As much as she loved Hagrid, she couldn't agree with him showing third years hippogriffs.

They were stumbling up towards the castle. Draco's arm was bleeding profusely now and his face was getting paler and paler, almost matching his white blond hair. His already pointed features seem to poking out of his skin.

"Sit, now." Katherine pointed to a tree trunk. He complied. Katherine tore the hem of her robes and wrapped it as a crude bandage around Draco's arm.

"Oh, Draco," Katherine moaned while she was tying the bandage. "Why do you have to do stupid things?"

"I do stupid things?" Draco asked quietly.

"Uh, yeah." Katherine said. Draco's non-hurt arm cupped her cheek and forced her to look into his gray eyes.

"And what do you call what you've done the past two years?" He asked quietly. A ghost of a smile pranced on Katherine's face.

"Intelligent things that didn't go to plan."


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

They had their first lesson with Professor Lupin on Thursday. Draco had stayed in the hospital wing the entire time. He was milking this for all it was worth. Even Katherine was getting sick of his puppy dog look.

Anyways, Lupin led them into the staff room where a wardrobe was shaking uncontrollably. The class looked fearful.

"It's just a boggart." Lupin smiled. "Can anyone tell me what a boggart is?"

Unsurprisingly, Hermione's hand was in the air within half a second of the question being asked.

"It takes the shape of what it thinks will scare the living daylights out of you." Hermione answered.

"Excellent," Lupin smiled. "Now, there is a simple spell to get rid of a boggart: _riddikulus._"

Neville went first. The boggart swooped out like a giant bat taking the form of Severus Snape. Neville started to tremble.

"_R-r riddikulus!_"Neville stumbled. Then he was wearing a long dress, a towering hat, and swinging a red handbag. The class roared with laughter. Then the boggart turned to the next person in line. Everyone successfully managed to change the boggart into something ridiculous. Hermione and Katherine were behind Harry and his turn was coming up. But Lupin jumped in front of Harry. The boggart turned into a silvery orb.

"_Riddikulus!_" Lupin said lazily. "Neville, finish him off."

Neville came forward confident, for once, and said the incantation. The boggart exploded and class was over.

"I wish I could have had a chance." Hermione lamented afterwards.

"What would it turn into for you? A paper that got a nine point nine out of ten?" Ron sniggered.

* * *

><p>Later, Katherine and Harry plopped down on the chairs in the Common Room exhausted. Wood desperately wanted to the Quidditch Cup this year; every night they were forced to practice until Wood decided that if they kept practicing the whole team would mutiny.<p>

"GET OFF, YOU IDIOT!" Ron yelled as he snatched his bag away from Hermione's demented cat, Crookshanks.

"Ron, don't hurt him." Hermione pleaded. Scabbers, Ron's sickly rat, ran out of the bag with Crookshanks on his tail.

"CATCH THAT DEMON CAT!" Ron yelled as everyone in the Common Room rushed after Crookshanks. Well, they finally caught the two animals.

"There's something funny about that cat. It's got it in for Scabbers."

* * *

><p>The morning of Halloween was the first Hogsmeade trip. Harry couldn't go because the Dursleys didn't sign his form. Katherine, Hermione, and Ron walked into Three Broomsticks first. Katherine heard a bunch of loud laughter from a table in the back. She saw many students crowded around that table, chairs were missing from other ones.<p>

"Hey, Katherine!" She heard a voice call her name, but all she saw was a hand waving over the heads of the popular table.

"Who's calling you?" Hermione asked. Katherine stood up on her tippy-toes, but still couldn't see. She shrugged.

"Katherine! Come here!" A tall handsome boy stood up and waved her over.

"We'll see you later, Katherine." Hermione smiled in that smile that girls give each other when a wonderful opportunity presents itself. Katherine made her way over to the table. Cedric pulled out a chair for her right next to him. The table was so crowded that she and Cedric were right on top of each other.

"It's so great to be outside of the castle grounds, eh, Ced?" A Hufflepuff fifth year asked. Cedric took a sip of his butterbeer as Madam Rosmerta brought Katherine one.

"So great. No need to worry about studying for O.W.L.s." Cedric smiled. He leaned back in his chair and put his arm lazily on the top of Katherine's chair. The group of deliriously happy students (Katherine assumed that last night was the only night so far that they had gotten sleep) kept laughing and talking and acting like idiots. At one point, Cedric made a joke so funny that everyone snorted butterbeer out of their noses.

An hour later, Cedric and Katherine were dilly-dallying as they walked along Hogmeade's main road.

"How was your summer?" Cedric asked as they entered Honeydukes.

"Same old, same old. Just relaxed at Malfoy Manor. Though, the Malfoys weren't a happy bunch to be around the first few weeks." She smiled slightly.

"Why?" Cedric smiled in response to hers.

"Harry tricked them into freeing their house elf." Katherine grinned wider.

"Were you upset?" He asked.

"Yeah, I didn't get any more crème bruleés." Katherine shook her head sadly.

* * *

><p>After the Halloween Feast, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Katherine were walking to Gryffindor Tower. They were stopped, however, by all the other Gryffindors trying to get in the dormitories. Head Boy Percy Weasley commanded someone to get Professor Dumbledore.<p>

The four edged closer as Dumbledore passed through. The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait. Peeves showed up just as Dumbledore was ordering teachers to look for her.

"Where is she?" Dumbledore asked.

"She's hiding. She's a mess; she was crying up something awful." Peeves answered.

"Did she say who?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh, yes, Sirius Black."

All the students were ushered into the Great Hall. Dumbledore conjured up sleeping bags. Katherine was wrapped up in one, staring at the ceiling. Sirius Black managed to make it into Hogwarts. Sirius Black almost got into Gryffindor Tower. Sirius Black almost killed Harry.

She heard the sleeping bag next to her ruffle as someone got into it. Katherine had her right hand resting on top on the sleeping bag. A hand gently grabbed it. She tensed and then turned to her right. Cedric smiled at her.

"Don't worry; I'll keep you safe from the Big Bad Black." Cedric grinned and squeezed her hand. They fell asleep holding hands.

* * *

><p>The days after the attack were filled with theories about how Black got in, also Percy was tailing Harry like some watch dog, and Madam Hooch had to watch over the Gryffindor Team's Quidditch practice. Oliver told them that they weren't playing Slytherin on Saturday, since Draco's poor little arm hadn't healed. They were playing Hufflepuff and therefore, playing against Cedric Diggory: Captain and Seeker. Also, Snape substituted for Professor Lupin, who was mysteriously ill, and Snape taught them about werewolves.<p>

The morning of the Quidditch Match, Katherine awoke to hear thunder crashing and the wind howling all around the castle. She looked out the window and could only see a wall of rain. She cursed at the idea of flying in this weather.

They waited in the changing rooms for Oliver's prep talk, but he couldn't speak. Oliver desperately wanted to win the Quidditch Cup because this was his last year at Hogwarts. The team stepped out of to the field and was immediately drenched. Harry had his hands in front of him because he couldn't see where he was going.

Cedric walked over to Katherine and greeted her with a hug.

"Ready to play?" Cedric yelled over the howling wind.

"I am, but are you? I mean, you're going up against Harry Potter." Katherine said as they both looked at Harry who stepped on his brown making it whack him in the face.

"Then it's going to be very tough." Cedric smiled. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Cedric went over to shake hands with Oliver. Everyone mounted their broom, Madam Hooch released the Bludgers and the Snitch, and the game began.

Katherine was being blown off course by the wind, but she managed to steal the Quaffle from Malcolm Preece. Katherine flew towards, she assumed, the Hufflepuff goal posts. Harry almost crashed into her, but she managed to steer herself out of the way in time. She looked over her shoulder at the Nimbus-riding-rain-drenched-blind boy. She shook her head sadly.

Katherine barely saw the outline of the posts, but luckily a yellow robed Keeper was guarding them. She feigned to the right, the Keeper followed, she jerked her broom in the direction of the post, and . . .

"GOOOOOOOOOAAAALLLL!" Katherine shouted, but the wind was so bad that only she heard. She, Katie, and Angelina helped score four more goals. The first strike of lightning showed Oliver calling a time-out. Katherine went to go grab Harry who couldn't see a thing and she led him to the ground. The team huddled under a large umbrella. Suddenly, Hermione was at Harry's shoulder.

"Harry, give me your glasses." Hermione said, she tapped Harry's glasses. "_Impervius!_"

Harry put on the glasses and he could finally see.

"Repels water." Katherine nodded approvingly. "Brilliant as usual, Hermione."

The team flew back into the air after Hermione disappeared. Another flash of lightning. Katherine could have sworn that the elements were trying to kill them all. The storm was getting more and more dangerous every second. Katherine wished Harry would catch the Snitch soon.

Katherine had the Quaffle again. She was flying towards the posts, when she felt cold. Ice seemed to freeze her insides. She heard a voice saying over and over again "_They're dead."_

The Quaffle fell from her hands as she clutched her head. Through half closed eyes, she saw the Quaffle fall to the ground.

_C'mon, pull yourself together, Peters._ She willed herself to ignore the dementors. She dove and caught the Quaffle before it hit the ground. She easily scored, but, instead of hearing cheering, she heard screaming. She looked up and saw Harry free-falling from a hundred and fifty feet.

"Harry!" Katherine shouted. She dashed over to Harry. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her arms. She saw Cedric landing with the Snitch.

_"THEY'RE DEAD!" _The voice screamed in her head. She looked up to see dementors coming down at her and Harry. She cursed and raced towards the castle. The dementors started to circle around her. Then a silvery phoenix attacked the Dark creatures and the latter ran away. The doors to the castle opened and she, still on her broom, went to the hospital wing.

The rest of the Quidditch Team, Hermione, Ron, and Cedric arrived shortly after. Everyone looked as though they had just jumped into the Black Lake.

"Good thing you can catch, Katherine." Fred said grimly.

"Harry looks a bit pale." Ron commented.

"A bit pale? Let's drop you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you look." George replied.

Harry's eyes snapped open. He tried to focus on all the faces.

"What happened?" Harry asked as he jerked himself up.

"You fell off your broom, mate. Luckily, Katherine caught you." Fred said.

"We thought you were dead." Katie said shaking. Hermione groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Look," Cedric said, everyone turned to look at him. "Harry, I don't want to win because some dementors interfered. Let us play a rematch."

"No," Wood said stumbling in looking extremely depressed. "You caught the Snitch fair and square, Diggory."

"Harry, there's one more thing." Ron said holding a blanket full of twigs. "The wind sent your broom into the Whomping Willow and . . . well . . . you know the Whomping Willow."

Harry's face fell as he looked at the remains of his beloved Nimbus Two Thousand.

* * *

><p>After Gryffindor's defeat, Draco miraculously was better. Professor Lupin was better and he didn't make them written the long report Snape assigned. Katherine stayed after class to ask him a favor.<p>

"Professor," Katherine said.

"Yes, Katherine?" Professor Lupin asked.

"I want to learn how to stop dementors." She said. Lupin looked at her curiously.

"Why?" He asked.

"It seems like a good skill to have." She answered.

"Alright, but we'll have to start after the holidays." Lupin said.

* * *

><p>There was a Hogsmeade trip before the end of the term, and Harry managed to appear in Honeydukes. He told his three friends about the Marauder's Map. This Map showed all of Hogwarts, every secret passageway, and where every single person was. Fred and George had given it to him.<p>

The four of them went into Three Broomsticks. They saw Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, and Cornelius Fudge enter. Harry slipped under his Invisibility Cloak. Hermione did a spell that made the Christmas tree move in front of their table, since the adults picked the table right in front of them.

"So, what brings you here, Minister?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"Sirius Black." Fudge answered.

"Haven't those dementors found him yet?" Madam Rosmerta said with an edge in her voice.

"Well, we all know what he is capable of." Fudge said defensively.

"I always thought the Sirius Black was the last person to turn."

"Rosmerta, you don't know the worst he did."

"Worse than murdering those people?"

"Rosmerta, do you remember who his best friend was?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Of course. They were like the Weasley twins; never apart. Sirius Black and James Potter." Rosmerta answered.

"Potter trusted Black more than anyone else. He named him Harry Potter's godfather." Fudge said. "Thank goodness, Harry doesn't know."

"Because Black is with You-Know-Who?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"Worse," Fudge said. "You see, Dumbledore knew the You-Know-Who was after the Potters and he advised them to go into hiding. Dumbledore told them to use the Fidelius Charm."

"What is that?" Madam Rosmerta asked.

"A complex spell," Professor Flitwick said. "It involves the concealment of a secret inside a living soul. The information is given to a Secret-Keeper. As long as the Secret-Keeper refuses to talk, You-Know-Who would never find the Potters."

"So Black was the Secret-Keeper?" Rosmerta whispered.

"Yes," Professor McGonagall said. "But Dumbledore was worried."

"He suspected Black?" said Rosmerta.

"Not necessarily," Professor McGonagall said. "He suspected, though, that someone close to the Potters was a traitor."

"And barely a week after the Charm had been performed . . ." Fudge sighed.

"Black betrayed them." Professor McGonagall finished for him.

"But after You-Know-Who fell, Black didn't manage to disappear." Rosmerta said.

"But the Ministry didn't find him first. Peter Pettigrew did. He went after Black." Fudge said.

"Pettigrew . . . the boy who worshipped Black and Potter?" Rosmerta asked uncertainly.

"Yes, he was blown to bits by Black. All we found was a finger." Fudge sighed.

"Harry?" Katherine whispered.

"I'll kill him." A quiet, determined voice said from underneath the Invisibility Cloak.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

Christmas came and went. Harry got a Firebolt, which Hermione told Professor McGonagall about since it could have been given to him by Sirius Black. Katherine spent the holidays with the Malfoys and had to endure Mr. Malfoy drone on about Buckbeak's hearing and inevitably execution.

The Gryffindor Team had finally won the Quidditch Cup. Harry's Firebolt was the main factor in that win. Oliver looked ready to kiss every Gryffindor. Also, Professor Lupin was giving Katherine lessons on the Patronous Charm, the spell to defeat dementors. Katherine, however, could not make anything appear; she couldn't do the spell.

Scabbers had disappeared. Ron accused Crookshanks of eating him. They had barely finished their exams, when the four went to Hagrid's to comfort him during Buckbeak's execution. While they were talking to Hagrid, Hermione found Scabbers hiding in a pitcher. They turned around and the pitcher broke. They looked outside to see Professor Dumbledore, Minister Fudge, and the executioner, Macnair. The four scrambled under the Cloak and went out through Hagrid's back door. They climbed up the hill to where they couldn't see Hagrid's hut anymore.

Scabbers started squirming around in Ron's hands. But he wasn't squeaking loud enough to cover up the thud of an axe. Katherine couldn't believe that they killed Buckbeak. Stupid Malfoy.

The third years started to walk back to the castle. Then they saw Crookshanks stalking Scabbers. The rat slipped through Ron's fingers and ran with Crookshanks on its tail. Ron shed the Cloak and ran after his rat. Harry, Katherine, and Hermione looked at each other, threw off the Cloak, and chased Ron.

Ron caught his rat only to be attacked by a giant black dog. The dog grabbed Ron's arm and carried him under the Whomping Willow. Ron hooked his leg around a branch, but his leg broke. Crookshanks darted forward and touched a knot of the tree. The Whomping Willow froze looking harmless. They went under the tree and followed a tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.

They opened the door and saw Ron clutching his leg. Crookshanks was sitting on the bed next to him.

"Where's the dog?" Harry asked.

"No dog," Ron moaned in pain. "It's a trap. He's the dog. He's an Animagus."

Katherine turned on her heel to see Sirius Black shutting the door. Katherine pulled Harry behind her.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Sirius Black pointed Ron's wand at them. Katherine felt her wand leave her hand. She never felt so helpless. She stood in between Sirius Black and Harry with no wand.

"You killed my parents." Harry said from behind Katherine.

"You need to know the whole story." Black said.

"You betrayed them. That's all I need to know." Harry growled.

"Listen to me." Black pleaded. They all stared at each other for a moment, then they heard muffled footsteps.

"WE'RE HERE!" Hermione screamed. "SIRIUS BLACK IS HERE! HURRY!"

Lupin hurried into the room. He looked at Black and pointed his wand at him.

"Where is he?" Lupin asked Black. Black pointed at Ron.

"Why hasn't he shown himself?" Lupin asked mystified. "Unless . . . you switched."

Black nodded. Lupin stared at him, and then embraced Black like a brother.

"WHAT?" Hermione shrieked.

"Hermione," Lupin began.

"You're with him. I didn't tell anyone all year. I've been covering for you." Hermione pointed a shaky finger at Lupin.

"I trusted you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry, you still can." Lupin said.

"Harry, don't trust him. He wants you dead. He's a werewolf!" Hermione screamed.

"Hermione, you're only half right." Lupin said amused. "I don't want Harry dead."

Ron tried to get up, but ended up falling back in pain. Lupin made a move to go help him.

"Get away from me, werewolf." Ron snarled. Lupin turned to Hermione.

"How long have you known?"Lupin asked.

"Ever since I did Snape's essay." Hermione answered cowering behind Katherine.

"He should be happy." Lupin said coldly. "He hoped someone would notice. Did you look at a lunar chart and figure out I was gone at the full moon? Or did you see my boggart is the moon?"

"Both." Hermione answered.

"You're the cleverest witch I've ever met." Lupin complimented.

"SO WHAT? YOU BEEN HELPING HIM!" Harry yelled pointing at Black who had given Lupin Ron's wand.

"Let me explain. Look," Lupin threw each of the third years their respective wands. "You're armed. Will you listen?"

"How did you know he was here?" Katherine asked by Harry started screaming again.

"I used the Marauder's Map that I took from Harry." Lupin said.

"You know how to work it?" Harry asked.

"I helped write it. I'm Moony of Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs." Lupin said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Never mind." Lupin said. "I was watching it because I assumed you all would try to visit Hagrid. I was right. Later, you set off towards the castle with someone new. I couldn't believe my eyes. He couldn't be with you."

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Ron, can I see your rat?" Lupin asked, gazing intently at Scabbers.

"What's my rat got to do with this? Ron countered holding the squirming Scabbers.

"He's not a rat. He's a wizard." Lupin answered.

"An Animagus," Black said. "Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter Pettigrew's dead." Harry said. "You killed him."

"I meant to, but he managed to outsmart me." Black growled. He jumped for Scabbers, but Lupin stopped him.

"No, Sirius!" Lupin yelled. "Wait! We've got to explain! You owe Harry the truth."

"Alright, but hurry up." Black said.

"Professor Lupin, Scabbers can't be Pettigrew. When we were studying Animagi, I researched them. In order to be one, you have to register with the Ministry." Hermione said quietly. Lupin started to laugh.

"You're right." He said. "But the Ministry doesn't know about three unregistered Animagi who used to run around Hogwarts."

"Hurry up, Remus." Sirius said impatiently. They all stopped when they heard a creak on the landing. No one was there.

"When I was very young, I received the bite. In those days, there was no cure. Professor Snape has been making a potion for me that helps with the transformation. I can remember who I am and just curl up in my office as a harmless werewolf.

"But before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, I became a monster once a month. It seemed impossible to go to Hogwarts. But Dumbledore became Headmaster. He said as long as we took precautions, I would be fine. The Whomping Willow was planted when I came to Hogwarts and the Shrieking Shack was built, too. Once I month, I went out of the castle and came here was I was away from others. The tree was to stop anyone from coming near me.

"My transformations were horrible, but I was happy. I had friends, for the first time. Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and James Potter. Now, these friends noticed that I was gone. I made up stories because I was afraid that if they knew the truth, they would leave me. But they figured it out. And they decided to become Animagi so that I wouldn't be alone.

"It took them three years, but they got it in our fifth year. Sirius became a giant dog. Peter became a rat; he would hit the knob on the tree to make it freeze. And James became a stag. With them, my mind became more of my own.

"We explored Hogwarts and the grounds. That is how we created the Map. We each signed it. Peter is Wormtail. Sirius is Padfoot. James was Prongs.

"But we did foolish things. In one of them, Sirius convinced Snape to follow me when I went to the Shrieking Shack. Snape did. James went after Snape and pulled him back. Snape saw me, but Dumbledore forbade me to tell."

"That's why Snape hates you," Katherine said. "He thought you were in on it."

"He did." A cold voice sneered from behind them. Severus Snape pulled off Harry's Invisibility Cloak and pointed his wand at Lupin.

"Thank you, Potter." Snape smirked as he held up the Cloak. "You see, Lupin, I went to your office to give you potion, only to see a certain Map open on your desk. One look told me where you were and who you were with. I told the Headmaster that you were the one helping Black."

Snape looked as if Christmas came early. He was finally going to get revenge on his boyhood bullies. Katherine sneakily pulled out her wand.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Four voices said. Snape was thrown backwards into the wall and knocked unconscious.

"We shouldn't have done that." Hermione quivered. "We attacked a teacher. We attacked a teacher."

"Who cares? Stupid bugger." Katherine muttered, kicking Snape's limp form. "Please continue, Professor."

"Time for some proof. Ron, can I see Peter?" Lupin said.

"Why?" Harry asked. "Even if Peter's alive, Black still killed my parents!"

"No, don't you see, Harry." Lupin said. "We thought the Sirius betrayed them, but it was Peter who did."

"HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER!" Harry bellowed pointing at Black.

"Harry, I made James and Lily make Peter their Secret-Keeper," Sirius said solemnly. "It was too obvious that I would the Secret-Keeper. I thought they would be safer if Peter was it. I was wrong.

"On the night they died, I went to go check on Peter. I went to his place and he was gone. There was no sign of a struggle. I realized what he did. I ran to your parents' house. It was a rubble and the two bodies . . ."

"Enough. Let us prove it. Give me the rat, Ron." Lupin said. Ron handed over the squeaking, squirming rat. Sirius picked up Snape's wand. The two adults looked at each other and used a spell on Scabbers.

A flash of light and a man was where Scabbers used to be. He was a short man with colorless hair and rat features. His eyes looked at the door. Katherine moved to stand in front of it.

"Hello, Peter." Lupin said like it was normal to have friends turn into rats and turn back into humans. "Long time, no see."

"S-Sirius . . . R-Remus . . ." Pettigrew squeaked. "My friends . . ."

"Harry, this is the man that betrayed your parents." Black said. "Believe me, I would never hurt James and Lily."

Harry nodded because it made sense.

"Shall we kill him together?" Lupin asked Black. He nodded.

"No!" Pettigrew wailed. He threw himself at Ron's feet.

"Master . . . sweet Master. . . I was always a good rat." Pettigrew moaned. Ron wrenched his broken leg away from him. Pettigrew clutched at Hermione's robes.

"Clever girl . . . help me." Pettigrew pleaded. Hermione pulled her robes out of his hand and backed away. He turned to fall at Katherine's feet.

"Noble . . . most noble girl . . . you wouldn't let them kill an innocent." So much hatred exploded out of Katherine that even Pettigrew knew it was futile to continue to beg her. He backed away before she could reply.

"Harry . . . you look just like your father . . ."

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" Black bellowed. "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"

"Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed." Pettigrew whispered as Lupin and Black threw him to the floor.

"You sold Lily and James to Voldemort. Do you deny it?" Black was shaking in anger.

"Sirius . . . I was scared . . . I was never brave . . . He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me . . ."

"Don't lie." Black snarled. "You were his spy for a year before he killed Lily and James."

"Wha-what was there to gain from refusing him?" Pettigrew whimpered.

"Everything."

"You don't understand . . . he would have killed me."

"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!"

"You should have known, Peter." Lupin said quietly. "That if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would."

"No!" Harry shouted jumping in front of Pettigrew. "You can't kill him. My dad wouldn't have wanted his friends to be murderers."

"Harry, this filth is the reason you don't have parents." Black said.

"I know, but we'll take him up to the castle. Let the dementors have him." Harry said.

"Harry . . . thank you . . . more than I deserve." Pettigrew started to kiss the hem of Harry's robes.

"Get off me." Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew off him.

No one moved. Lupin and Black looked each other and then lowered their wands.

"You're the only person who can decide that." Black said.

"He can go to Azkaban." Harry said. Lupin shot out chords and tied up Pettigrew.

"If you transform, we kill you. Right, Harry?" Black growled. Harry nodded. Lupin strapped up Ron's leg and they all made their way through the tunnel. Reluctantly bringing Snape along.

Black was talking to Harry about how turning Pettigrew in meant that he would be free, and Harry could come live with him, since he was Harry's godfather. Both men were ecstatic at that idea.

They came out and suddenly, the party was bathed in moonlight. Black threw Hermione, Harry, and Katherine back. Ron was chained to Pettigrew who was changed to Lupin who was shaking and transforming. Sirius transformed into the big black dog. The werewolf tore free of the chains and the dog caught him by the next to pull him away from the children. In the confusion, Peter transformed and raced away.

There was a howl. Katherine looked up to see the werewolf taking off into the forest. Harry yelled to Sirius that Peter ran away. Sirius went after him. They heard a dog in pain and Harry ran off towards the sound. Snape woke up.

"Get back here, Potter!" Snape yelled. He turned to face the other three third years.

"Miss Peters, you must take Weasley and Granger up to the hospital wing. Do not go after Potter, understand?" Snape ordered. Katherine thought about disobeying, but nodded. Snape went after Harry.

"C'mon, let's get going." Katherine and Hermione carried Ron in between them.

"Sheesh, Ronald. You weigh a ton." Katherine gasped.

"Oh, shut up. You carried Harry." Ron replied.

"The broom carried most of his weight."

The third years stumbled into the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey muttered something about idiotic children doing something dangerously stupid every year. She put Ron in a bed and put his leg in a cast. Katherine and Hermione sat on one of the empty hospital beds.

Snape arrived a few moments later with an unconscious Harry and Minister Fudge. He looked as happy as he did before he got blasted by four Disarming Spells.

"Thank you, Snape, for capturing Black. You saved these children, too. I say Order of Merlin, Second Class." Fudge said when he and Snape went outside the hospital doors.

"Thank you very much, Minister." Snape smiled.

"Nasty cut there. Black?"

"No, Potter, Granger, Weasley and Peters."

"No!"

"I'm afraid Black Confunded them. They seemed to believe he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions."

"What confused me, though, is what made the dementors retreat like that?"

"It was a powerful Patronous Charm."

"Any idea who did it?"

"Whoever it was left before I got there."

Harry started to wake up, and looked at Hermione who mouthed at him to be quiet. Katherine immediately was at his side. Madam Pomfrey saw he was awake and gave him chocolate to eat.

"They've got Sirius. The dementors are going to perform the kiss soon." Katherine whispered as she pulled out her wand.

"WHAT?" Harry yelled. He jumped out of the bed and grabbed his wand. Minister Fudge and Snape came in.

"Harry, what's the matter?" Fudge said.

"Minister, you've got to listen. Sirius Black is innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death!" Harry said quickly.

"Harry," The Minister said shaking his head. "You're confused. You've been through a horrible ordeal."

"YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!" Harry yelled.

"Minister, ignoring Harry's tone, you have to listen to him. Sirius Black is innocent." Katherine said calmly.

"They've been Confunded. Black's done a good job on them." Snape said.

"WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared. Katherine put a hand on his arm. Professor Dumbledore entered.

"Severus, Cornelius, Poppy, please leave me with the students." Professor Dumbledore said. The three heeded his command.

"Professor," Harry took a breath to start yelling again.

"Harry, listen." Professor Dumbledore said. "Sirius told me everything, but there is no proof for his story. Professor Lupin is dealing with his 'furry little problem' and he cannot testify for Sirius."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Katherine asked sounding unnaturally close to despair.

"What we need," Dumbledore said looking at Hermione. "Is more time."

"What?" Hermione started. "OH!"

"Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. You will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. _You must not be seen._ It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Grangers, three turns."

"What is he talking about?" Harry asked as Professor Dumbledore left. Hermione pulled out a chain with an hourglass hanging from it. She threw it around Harry's, Katherine's and her necks. She turned the hourglass three times.

Katherine felt like she was going backwards. Shapes blurred around the side of her face. Then she felt solid ground and everything came into focus.

"Hermione, what?" Harry asked. Hermione pulled Harry and Katherine into a broom closet.

"It's a Time-Turner." Hermione said.

"So, that's how you've been able to take every class offered this year." Katherine smiled in understanding. They heard footsteps outside the door.

"I think that's us on our way to Hagrid's." Hermione said. "Why are we so early? What does Dumbledore want us to do?"

"Save two innocent lives." Katherine mused.

"Buckbeak." Harry said. "We've got to use Buckbeak to get Sirius out of Flitwick's office."

They went and hid on the outskirts of the Forest. They looked to see Dumbledore, Fudge, and Macnair coming down.

"Why aren't we leaving?" Hermione muttered. She looked down and saw a rock. She was about to throw it, when Katherine took it from her.

"I've got better aim. You might miss and take out someone's eyes." Katherine smiled slightly. Katherine slung the rock and it hit the pitcher. The earlier-them came out of the Hut. The three adults went into the Hut and started to read out the procedure. Harry ran forward, grabbed Buckbeak, and they all ran through the Forest.

"We've got to wait for us to come out." Katherine said as they chose a spot where they could watch the Whomping Willow. They all sat down and waited.

"Harry, there's something I don't understand." Hermione said after a while. "Why the dementors retreated?"

"A large silver thing forced them away." Harry said. Katherine wasn't looking at him, she kept her back to her two friends.

"What was it?" Hermione asked.

"A Patronous. A powerful one." Harry said.

"Did you see who it was?" Hermione said eagerly.

"Yes." Harry said.

"It must have been a really powerful wizard. Did you see who it was?"

"Yeah, I saw them. But maybe I wasn't thinking straight."

"Who do you think it was?"

"My parents." Harry swallowed.

"Harry," Hermione said quietly. "They're dead."

"I know." Harry said. "Maybe I was imagining things."

They sat in silence until the earlier-thems came out. They watched in horror as Lupin turned into a werewolf.

"We've got to move." Harry said.

"I told you we can't." Hermione said.

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the Forest! Run into us!" Harry said. They ran to Hagrid's with Buckbeak pulling them along. They stopped behind a bush close to the bank of the lake. On the other side, earlier-Harry was pathetically trying to conjure a Patronous.

"Come on. Where are they?" Harry muttered looking around impatiently.

"Harry, you're both dying." Hermione said.

Harry suddenly had a thought. He ran forward with Katherine on his heels.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" They both yelled. A stag and an archer burst out of the wands. The stag and archer charged at the dementors and made the Dark Creatures disappear. Slowly, the Patronouses returned to their owners. Katherine and Harry gapped open mouth at each other.

"Since when can you do that? Me? Months ago!" Katherine and Harry said.

"It was you two." Hermione pointed at them slightly shocked.

"Why did I think we were my parents?" Harry muttered to himself.

"Harry, you look exactly like your father. You saw yourself, but you would never fathom that you would be in two places at once. So, you thought you saw your dad and he was with a female, so you naturally thought she was your mother." Katherine said working out the theory slowly. Harry nodded.

"I guess." He said with a thoughtful look. "Now that I think about it, you don't look anything like my mum."

"I don't know whether that is a compliment or an insult." Katherine said.

"Come on! We've got to get Sirius." Hermione said. The three jumped onto Buckbeak and flew to Flitwick's office. Hermione blasted the window. Sirius smiled and jumped on. They flew and landed on one of the battlements.

"Sirius, you've better go. They'll find out you've gone." Harry panted. Sirius didn't move; he just kept smiling.

"How can I ever thank you?" Sirius asked.

"Just go. Don't get caught." Harry said.

"We'll see each other again." Sirius said. "You truly are James's son."

Sirius and Buckbeak flew off. The third years ran to the hospital wing. They ran into Dumbledore as he was leaving.

"Well?" Dumbledore smiled.

"We did it!" Harry said breathlessly.

"Well done." Dumbledore beamed.

The term ended on a weird note. It was happy because Snape didn't get his Order of Merlin. But it was sad because Snape let it slip that Lupin was werewolf, so Lupin resigned. Cedric and Katherine were not boyfriend and girlfriend. Even though they liked each other, the subject was awkward for both of them. Cedric was shy about that and Katherine didn't have the guts to bring it up. They hugged good-bye. She went with the Malfoys home.


	10. Chapter 10

**From this point until I decide not to, the POV will change between Harry's and Katherine's.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter Ten<em>

Katherine followed her new adoptive parents to the Minister's Box at the Quidditch World Cup. She saw a row of red haired people. She smiled when she saw the messy jet black haired and curly brown haired people.

"Ah, Lucius, there you are." Minister Fudge said. Lucius -he wanted her to call him dad, but she wasn't ready for that- extended his hand and the Minister shook it.

"Minister, I do not believe you know my wife, Narcissa." Lucius said. Naricissa extended her hand and Fudge kissed it. "This is my son, Draco. And our new daughter, Katherine."

Katherine tried to look past Harry's face which was a mix of loathing, disgust, and shock. The papers had in fact been signed that morning.

"Enchanted." Fudge said. "We're just waiting for Ludo Bagman. I believe Barty is going to join us since his house-elf is saving him a seat."

A female house-elf sat in the chair behind Harry. She had her face in her hands and slightly whimpering.

The Malfoys and Katherine took their seats away from the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. The Diggorys were sitting in the seats next to Katherine. Cedric smiled and switched seats with his father so that he was next to her.

"Hey, how's your summer?" Cedric asked.

"Pretty good. Yours?" Katherine replied.

"Fine. Can't wait to watch the game." Cedric smiled excitedly.

"I know. Krum should be amazing." Katherine said.

"Should be? He is. Youngest Seeker in the league. I heard he's still in school."

"Where?"

"Durmstrang."

"Durmstrang! I love Russia!"

"What makes you think it's in Russia? No one knows where it is."

"Their outfits, their accents. I believe it is Siberia."

"Next question; why do you love Russia?"

"Well, the Russians have cool words like _Tsarevich_." Katherine said rolling the r.

Cedric laughed. The mascots for the Bulgarians came out onto the field. A group of beautiful women that sang a song that seemed to entrance every male in the stadium. Cedric looked at Katherine and smiled.

"They're not as beautiful as you." Cedric whispered showing that he was unaffected by the women.

"Veelas." Narcissa explained sitting on Katherine's other side. "They are like sirens. They make males do stupid things."

Narcissa smirked and Katherine followed her look to see Harry with one leg over the side of the box. Hermione had grabbed him and thrown him into his seat. The veelas stopped singing and it was Ireland's turn. They brought out leprechauns who rained gold upon the spectators.

Ludo Bagman arrived and pointed his wand at his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Four Hundred and Twenty-Second Quidditch World Cup! Our referee has released the Bludgers and the Snitch. He throws up the Quaffle and the game begins!"

Troy, Irish Chaser, grabbed the Quaffle and was at the goal posts in a blink of an eye. Ireland's Firebolts were helping them big time. Troy scored. Ireland scored two more times, before Ivanova, Bulgarian Chaser, scored.

Suddenly, Krum raced down from the sky. Lynch, the Irish Seeker, was right on his tail.

"Look's like Viktor Krum has seen the Snitch." Ludo Bagman commentated.

A foot from the ground, Krum pulled up. Lynch smashed into the ground. The Irish roared foul, but Krum's move was legal. A timeout was called.

"Wronski Feint." Cedric whispered smiling. "I bet you could show Krum how it's really done."

"No way." Katherine admitted. "Any time I do it, I almost lose control of my broom. Krum's broom didn't even wobble."

Mediwizards fixed up Lynch, but he looked out of it. Game play resumed. In fifteen minutes, the score was 130-10 Ireland. The veelas started to get angry. They attacked the referee and he awarded Ireland a penalty along with the foul Zograf committed against Mullet.

Krum got hit in the face with Bludger. But he didn't stop. He streaked after something gold with Lynch right behind him. Krum outstretched his hand and caught the Snitch. The crowd sat stunned, and then the Irish fans yelled in joy.

"I don't believe it." Ludo said, still acting as commentator. "Krum catches the Snitch, but Ireland wins 170-160!"

The Irish took a victory lap before landing in the Minister's Box to receive the Cup.

* * *

><p>Later in the tent, Harry was reliving the game with the Weasleys and Hermione. But when Ginny fell asleep at the table, Mr. Weasley told them to all go to bed. Harry lied on his bed dreaming about playing in the Quidditch World Cup.<p>

Harry imagined himself winning the game and raised the Cup. Katherine was beaming and clapping enthusiastically. Harry bent down towards her . . .

"Harry, get up! Hurry!" Mr. Weasley shook him awake.

"Whatsthematter?" Harry said.

"There's been an attack." Mr. Weasley explained. Harry and Ron raced out of the tent. Bill, Charlie, and Percy had their wands out and were running in the direction of the screaming.

"We're going to help the Ministry." Mr. Weasley said. "Fred, George, Ginny is your responsibility. Now, run!"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron got separated from the others. They were on the outskirts of the wood when they heard a drawling voice.

"Funny, isn't it?" Malfoy said as he watched three Muggles getting tortured by masked figures.

"Are your parents the ones out there?" Harry asked.

"Why would I tell you that, Potter?" Malfoy smirked.

"Tell me something, Malfoy. Does your mother always look like there's something disgusting by her or just when you're around?" It was Harry's turn to smirk. Malfoy's face turned angry.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother like that, Potter!" A female voice said at the same time as Malfoy. Katherine appeared at Malfoy's side, looking just as furious as the white blond haired boy.

"Anyways, you might want to get her out of here." Malfoy recovered his sneer as he jerked his head towards Hermione.

"Why?" Ron said.

"Weasley, they're after Mudbloods." Malfoy said. "Mind you, they'll probably smell her."

"Enough, Draco." Katherine warned.

"Better get hiding." Malfoy sneered and strutted away.

"I'm sorry about . . . him." Katherine said quietly.

"Wands out." Hermione said as she, Ron, and Katherine pulled out their wands. Harry searched his pockets.

"I don't believe it." Harry muttered. "I've lost my wand."

"What?" Katherine asked looking around the forest for the black and brown wand.

"It was in my pocket." Harry said exasperated.

"Maybe you left it in the tent." Ron suggested.

"Maybe." Harry shrugged.

"Harry, you can look for it later, but we need to go." Katherine said looking at the masked people. They went quickly away from the screaming. They stopped when they could hear no more.

"_Morsmorde!_" A deep voice cried. A giant face with a serpent tongue appeared in the sky. Everything was silent. Then people screamed like victims of the Spanish Inquisition. Katherine heard a twig snap. She twisted and pulled the three others down.

"_Stupefy!_" Twenty voices rang as red bolts barely missed the four.

"Stop! Stop! That's my son!" Mr. Weasley ran forward as the attack ceased. Katherine detangled herself from Harry.

"Which one of you did it?" Barty Crouch came forward sticking his wand in Katherine's nose. She knocked it out of her way.

"We didn't do it." She said.

"Barty, they're just kids." Mr. Weasley whispered.

"Who did it?" Barty asked in the same fanatical voice.

"A man. He had a deep voice. It came from over there." Hermione pointed to some bushes.

"Our Stunners went straight through there. They might have hit him." Amos Diggory said. He went to go search the bushes.

"Nah, looks like they Apparated- oh, no." Amos said. He came out from the bush with Crouch's house elf who was stunned and carrying a wand.

"Hey! That's my wand!" Harry said. "I lost it."

"Lost it? Or dropped it after you said the spell?" Barty asked fanatically.

"Barty, Harry Potter conjure the Dark Mark? Think about what you're saying." Mr. Weasley said.

"Right? Must have lost my head." Barty muttered before he went to go search the bushes again. Amos gave Harry back his wand, Barty dismissed his house-elf, and they all left.

"Katherine, do you need me to walk you to your tent?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"No. I'll be fine. Besides, they all ran off when they saw the Dark Mark." Katherine said grimly. She left her friends and went to the Malfoys' tent.

"There you are!" Narcissa threw her arms around Katherine. "I was so worried."

"I didn't want to be associated with Death Eaters." Katherine said. Narcissa dropped her arms.

"Honey," Narcissa started to say, but Katherine brushed past her.

"Proud of yourself, aren't you?" Katherine said as Lucius took off his mask. "Torturing helpless Muggles."

"Katherine, they are vermin. They must be eliminated like flies." Lucius said calmly.

* * *

><p>Katherine was sitting with Draco at the Welcoming Feast. She wanted to sit with Harry, but Lucius forbid it. He thought she was being tainted by her Gryffindor friends.<p>

Harry turned and saw Katherine sitting with Malfoy. She had a frown on her face like she'd rather be sitting next to an Acromantula. He waved, she smiled, he felt his stomach leave, and she tried to wave back, but Malfoy stopped her. Her frown returned.

"Now, that everyone has stuffed their faces, it's time for a speech." Professor Dumbledore said at his podium. "This year is a great year at Hogwarts. Hogwarts will host a legendary event: The Triwizard Tournament!"

The Hall started to murmur. Draco sat back smugly. Lucius had told him during the summer. Lucius offered to tell Katherine, but she said that she would rather be surprised. She was glad she waited.

Dumbledore waited for the murmurs to stop before continuing. "On October thirtieth, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive. The Triwizard Tournament is a competition between the three wizarding schools of Europe.

"Once the others arrive, an impartial judge will select the three champions, one from each school. However, the Tournament is extremely dangerous. In order to make it safer, the Ministry has decided upon an age limit; you must be of age to participate."

The Hall erupted in angry shouts. Fred and George Weasley started shouting "Rubbish! That's rubbish!"

"Enough!" Dumbledore commanded. "Now, all of you off to bed and get ready for your lessons tomorrow."

* * *

><p>Classes were let out early on October 30th. Harry had to go stand in a line outside the castle with the rest of the Gryffindors. Katherine was standing right next to him. His heart started to beat so loudly he was afraid she would hear. He felt a magical eye on him. He turned around to see Professor Mad-Eye Moody wink at him. Harry turned back around and smiled slyly.<p>

"Cedric's thinking about trying out for the Tournament." Katherine said looking at the lake.

_Cedric? She wanted to talk about Cedric Pretty Boy Diggory? What was Harry then? Chopped liver?_

"Hmm." Harry grunted. Katherine seemed displeased with his response because she went to go stand with the Hufflepuffs and Diggory.

_Darn it!_ Harry hit himself in the forehead. Hermione gave him a look. She was about to open her mouth, but a giant carriage flew down from the sky. The giant winged horses touched down with the upmost grace. A giant woman got out of the carriage, who Dumbledore addressed as Madame Maxine, and a trail of students in light blue followed her into the castle.

The Durmstrang students arrived by boat. They were led by a man with a goatee, Dumbledore called him Igor Karkaroff. At Karkaroff's side was Viktor Krum. Ron almost turned into a fan-girl.

"There are your Russians." Harry heard Diggory tell Katherine from behind him. Katherine giggled. Harry's face twisted. Everyone went back into the castle and into the Great Hall. The Durmstrang students and Krum sat with the Slytherins, much to Ron's annoyance. The Beauxbatons students sat at the Ravenclaw table. Katherine sat with Diggory, much to Harry's annoyance.

"What does she see in him?" He muttered under his breath, but Hermione heard him. She followed his glare and nodded in understanding.

"Well, he is handsome." Hermione said. Harry glared at her, even Ron turned away from his desperate attempts to get Viktor Krum to come sit next to him to look at Hermione.

"Handsome? I suppose if you like strong and silent." Ron scoffed.

"Well, his hair flows lovingly from his head." Hermione said smiling.

"What?" Harry said.

"That's what Katherine said." Hermione said. Harry started grumbling.

"Attention please." Dumbledore said as Filch brought out a case. "Allow me to introduce our impartial judge."

He waved his wand and the case revealed a giant goblet.

"The Goblet of Fire!" Dumbledore said. "If you wish to participate in the tournament, simply write your name on a piece of parchment and toss it into the Goblet. Tomorrow at dinner, the champions will be chosen. Good night."

Cedric grabbed Katherine's hand and they hid in a passageway until everyone cleared out of the Great Hall. He smiled and squeezed her hand before he pulled her back into the Hall. They were alone. Cedric quickly wrote his name on a piece of parchment.

"Your friends are going to be annoyed when they realize they don't get to watch this historic moment." Katherine smiled. Cedric smiled mischievously. He pulled her close as if put his name in the Goblet of Fire. He kissed her nose.

"But none of them are my good luck charm." He said before . . .


	11. Chapter 11

**Since MinveraWhite complained, the POV changes will be proceeded by line breakers.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 11<em>

Katherine spent Halloween singing all sorts of happy songs. Hermione was very amused by this. Harry was very annoyed and angered by this. Katherine had to sit with the Gryffindors for the choosing of the champions. She blew Cedric a kiss.

"The Goblet is just about ready to choose the champions." Dumbledore said. He used his wand to blow out every light in the Great Hall so that only the light from the Goblet illuminated the Hall.

The Goblet of Fire produced a pink fire and rocketed a piece of parchment out of it. The parchment fluttered down like a graceful little bird into Dumbledore's hand.

"The champion for Beauxbatons, Miss Fleur Delacour!" Dumbledore said. A beautifully stunning blond haired girl floated towards the chamber near the teacher's table. Ron started drooling.

The Goblet went pick again and rocketed the second piece of parchment out of it. The parchment charged down like it was riding a Firebolt.

"The champion for Durmstrang, Mr. Viktor Krum!" Dumbledore said. Viktor Krum waddled towards the chamber Fleur Delacour had disappeared behind. Cue fan-girl Ron.

The Goblet went pink and rocketed the last piece of parchment out of it. Katherine held her breath and crossed her fingers. It floated down not too fast and not too slow.

"The champion for Hogwarts, Mr. Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore said. The Hall erupted with cheers, but none as loud as the Hufflepuffs and Katherine. Cedric got up and ran over to the Gryffindor table. He pulled Katherine up into his arms and kissed her.

Firecrackers exploded wonderfully in her head. Cedric's lips were so wonderfully warm and his body was so wonderfully warm. He pulled away and walked as if he was two thousand feet in the air.

Katherine swayed a little and then clapped even more enthusiastically. She was the last one clapping when Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak again. Katherine sat down, grinning like an idiot.

The Goblet went pink again. The mood in the Great Hall changed. A parchment shot out and Dumbledore caught it.

"Harry Potter," The Headmaster whispered, and then started to shout. "Harry Potter!"

Harry sat petrified in his seat. Hermione pushed him and he walked slowly to the chamber. Katherine looked at Hermione.

"Why is it always Harry?" Katherine whispered.

* * *

><p>Katherine was hiding in front of the boys' dormitory waiting for Harry to come back from the meeting with the champions. She recognized his grunting and grumbling as he went up the stairs. She didn't know why he was complaining because the Gryffindors threw him an awesome party. She popped out, but he was staring at her shoes.<p>

"No, I didn't put my name in the Goblet." Harry said frustrated. Katherine sighed.

"I know you didn't." Katherine said. Harry looked up in surprise.

"You don't?" He said.

"I know that you didn't." She threw a blank piece of parchment into his hands. "You let me borrow the Map, remember?"

"You were spying on me?" Harry asked.

"Don't flatter yourself." Katherine teased as she pulled out a parchment. "I used it to watch who put their name in the Goblet. Then I wrote down their name, school, year, House if they're from Hogwarts, and age. I created a pretty good gambling business."

"Katherine, if you need money . . ."

"No. If I want money, I just ask Lucius for it, but I don't want to take any more money than I have to."

"So, you really believe me?" Harry asked.

"Harry, I was watching the Map all day, you went nowhere near the Goblet. Besides, the tournament isn't all fun and games. Hermione and I have been reading up on it, and . . . well . . . good luck."

* * *

><p>Hermione and Katherine brought Harry a stack of toast and they went out on the grounds. They sat under the tree by the lake. Katherine noticed that Harry looked very relieved that Hermione believed him.<p>

"Was Ron at breakfast?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Hermione answered uncomfortably. Katherine looked out on to the lake, signaling that she did not want to be part of this conversation.

"Does he still not believe me?" Harry asked.

"Of course he believes, but he's jealous." Hermione said. Katherine muttered something that sounded like "Stupid prat."

"Jealous?" Harry said dubious.

"Well, it's always you, not that there's anything wrong with that." Hermione said quickly. "But Ron's got all those brothers, and you're his best friend. He always gets pushed aside when people see, but this was one time too many."

"Well, you can tell him -"

"I'm not telling him anything. You can tell him yourself."

"Harry, d'you what we should do?" Katherine said changing the subject.

"Kick Ron's butt?" Harry suggested. Katherine smiled amused.

"No, write Sirius." Katherine said.

"Yes, I have a quill and parchment with me." Hermione said brightening now that the subject had changed.

"No! He came back to the country when he heard my scar hurt. He'll probably burst into the castle if he hears about the tournament." Harry protested.

"Harry," Katherine said shaking her head sadly. "If you haven't noticed, you're famous. _The Daily Prophet_ is probably having strokes because of the publicity."

"So, Sirius is going to find out anyways, but he'd rather hear it from you." Hermione said.

"Fine, but what owl will I use? Sirius said not to use Hedwig." Harry said.

"You can ask Ron to borrow Pig." Hermione said. Pig was Ron's owl Sirius got him. His real name is Pigwidgeon, Ginny named him before Ron could.

"I'm not asking Ron for anything." Harry said coolly.

"Then use one of the school owls, anyone can use them." Hermione said. The three walked to the owlery. Harry wrote his letter with Katherine looking over his shoulder.

_Dear Sirius,_

_The Triwizard Tournament is happening at Hogwarts this year and on Saturday night I got picked as a fourth champion. I didn't put my name in the Goblet of Fire and I don't know who did. The other Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory, a Hufflepuff._

_Hope you and Buckbeak are okay,_

_Harry_

Katherine grabbed the quill from Harry.

_P.S. Cedric is really cute and wonderful._

Harry stole the quill back.

_That was Katherine._

* * *

><p>Cedric Diggory was undoubtedly the most popular school champion. He was the perfect picture of a champion; with his gray striking eyes, his dark hair that fitted perfectly around his aristocratic face, and his tall handsome frame.<p>

And Katherine hated it.

Stupid six year girls (who had been in his class for five years!) were now begging him for his autograph. He was always surrounded by a large group of girls.

After Charms, Katherine, Hermione, and Harry were walking to lunch. Cedric walked by with another large group of girls giggling at something Cedric said, that wasn't even funny. Katherine's face twisted and she quickly walked into the Great Hall with Hermione and Harry struggling to keep up.

"You should have seen this coming, Katherine." Hermione said as she sat down.

"Shut up." Katherine said quietly and quickly. She tensed as she heard the giggling girls. Cedric and the giggling girls sat at the Hufflepuff table, right across from Katherine's back.

"Cedgy!" One of the girls whined in a high pitched voice. "Come with me to Hogsmeade and we can visit Madame Puddifoot's."

Katherine's face contorted. She stood up, grabbed her bag, and loudly walked away. She stopped at the very end of the Ravenclaws' table and sat next to Fleur Delacour.

"_Zat Cedric est cute._" Fleur said. Katherine smiled a little.

"_Il est_." Katherine said looking down at her plate.

"_Aimes-tu il?" _Fleur said when she realized Katherine spoke some French.

"_Oui._" Katherine smiled and started blushing.

"_Il t'aime._" Fleur said. Katherine turned as red as the Weasleys' hair.

"No." Katherine said, refusing to look up.

"_'e doez._" Fleur put her hand on Katherine's chin and forced her to look up. "_It getz better._"

"Those twits over there," Katherine jerked her head to the gaggle of girls. "Won't leave Cedric alone."

"Katherine," A quiet voice said from behind her. She recognized _his_ smell and tensed.

"Yes?" She said turning slowly around.

"Walk with me?" Cedric offered his arm and a dazzling smile. Katherine looked uncertainly at Fleur.

"_Alles._" Fleur smiled encouragingly. Katherine placed her hand delicately in the crook of Cedric's arm and he led her away from the Great Hall.

_Why is she with him?_ Harry thought. _He's flirting with every girl that says hi._

But that was not true.


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

Katherine barely made it in her seat before the bell rang to start Double Potions right after lunch. She slipped into the seat next to Harry breathless.

"Where were you?" Harry whispered.

"With Cedric." Katherine whispered. "Where's Hermione?"

"I got into a duel with Malfoy. I missed and hit Goyle. He missed and hit Hermione with _Densaugeo_. She ran to the hospital wing." Harry whispered. Snape started to give the instructions on making antidotes. Colin Creevey walked nervously in saying that Harry had to go do something for the Tournament.

So Katherine was alone. That fact remained until Hermione showed up an hour later.

"That you for joining us, Miss Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for being late." Snape sneered. Hermione still managed to create a perfect antidote in half an hour.

"Something's different about you, Hermione." Katherine mused. Hermione looked at her friend blushing.

"No, nothing." Hermione managed to not open her mouth while speaking.

"Your teeth are smaller." Katherine suddenly realized it. "You let Madam Pomfrey get rid of your overbite. Your parents are going to be mad."

"I don't think they'll notice." Hermione said.

"I think they will. Every guy has." Katherine said. Every guy was turned around looking at Hermione. Hermione's face, however, fell. Katherine noticed Ron had his back to them.

"Well, the proper boys, anyways." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Harry was relieved that Katherine was still awake and waiting in the common room. He missed dinner. He sat down next to her, as close as possible without freaking her out, on the couch. Fred and George were in the corner talking quietly. Harry thought this was strange because the twins were usually the life of the common room.<p>

"Where's Hermione? Not still in the hospital?" Harry asked. Katherine looked up from her potions essay.

"No. She went to bed. She said she had an idea that she needed to sleep on. She had that mad glint in her eye." Katherine said.

"Oh no, not more S.P.E.W, I hope." Harry said shuddering. Katherine smiled as she remembered the badge she bought from Hermione that was now stuffed in the bottom of her trunk.

"Let's hope not." Katherine said, returning back to her essay. Harry sat for a while trying to pluck up the courage to ask her. Finally, he decided that he would ask later.

"I'm going to bed." Harry said. Katherine didn't even look up.

"'Night." She said.

* * *

><p>In half an hour, she had finished the essay. She leaned back and looked out the window. She decided that she'll go take the broom out on Saturday. She mentally went through the trick moves she wanted to try. The Wronski Feint was nothing compared to some of them that she was inventing.<p>

Someone sitting next to her on the couch awoke her out of her reverie. She turned surprised to see Ginny Weasley still up. She was a third year and everyone knows that's not a hard year. Unless, of course, a mass murderer escapes from Azkaban looking for you, and your teacher's a werewolf. But ignoring that, not hard at all.

"Hey." Ginny said.

"Hey, Ginny. What's going on?" Katherine said.

"Nothing much. You?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing." Katherine answered. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'm sorry about Ron." Ginny said. If Katherine had glasses she would have perfectly imitated Dumbledore's look through his half-moon spectacles. But she got pretty darn close.

"You don't need to apologize for him." Katherine said.

"My brother's being a prat, so someone has to apologize." Ginny shrugged.

"How honorable," Katherine said admiration growing for Ginny. "But the prat will say he's sorry once Harry loses his head."

Ginny paled and didn't laugh at Katherine's joke.

"Hey," Katherine said serious. "It's just a joke."

"That's not funny. Not funny at all. Did you try that on Hermione?" Ginny asked. Katherine's lips pulled into a small smile.

"She said the same thing." Katherine said. They fell silent again.

"Why'd Hermione start spew?" Ginny said.

"She thought house-elves were being mistreated. But she's only meet one house-elf and that elf was being yelled out by her master at the time. And the only house-elf she knows about is Dobby. He's the rogue of his species." Katherine explained.

"Did you join?" Ginny asked.

"To get her to shut up." Katherine answered smiling.

"So I should probably hide if she brings it up?" Ginny asked smiling. Katherine laughed.

"No, not hide; run for your life."

* * *

><p>An article appeared in the <em>Daily Prophet<em> about the Triwizard Tournament. It was written by Rita Skeeter and explained where Harry had gone instead of remaining in Potions. Rita Skeeter had changed Harry's "er's" into long sentences. Rita Skeeter also said that Hermione was Harry's love interest. For the past ten days, Harry has had to put up with a lot.

"Want a hanky, Potter? We don't want you to start crying over your parents with no hanky." A Slytherin said as they passed by.

"Harry doesn't want to borrow yours. Last I saw, you were eating your boogers out of it." Katherine responded.

"Since when are you one of the top students, Potter?" Another Slytherin jeered.

"At least Harry is passing all his classes." Katherine sneered.

"Where d'you learn to sneer like that?" Harry whispered.

"Draco." Katherine responded, before she went to go talk to Diggory. Harry continued walking by the Slytherins and their jeers. He was getting really annoyed now.

"Hey, Harry!"

"That's right!" Harry started shouting, having had enough. "I've just been crying my eyes out over my parents and I'm off to cry some more!"

"No . . . you . . . you dropped your quill."

It was Katherine. Harry started going red.

"Oh, sorry." He muttered looking at his feet.

"It's alright." Katherine said.

Hermione had to put up with twits, too. But she hadn't begun yelling at innocent bystanders.

"Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy Parkinson shrieked when she came face-to-face with Hermione. "What was she judging against? A chipmunk?"

"No, you, Parkinson." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Sirius sent a letter saying that he wanted Harry to be alone in the Gryffindor common room at one in the morning on Sunday. So the three fourth years were ready to do anything to get everyone out of the common room.<p>

On the Saturday before the first task of the Tournament, the students were allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Katherine went with Cedric. Hermione suggested to Harry that they go.

"What about Ron?" Harry asked.

"I thought we could meet up with him." Hermione said quietly.

"No. I'm not talking to him." Harry said.

"Harry," Hermione started to say.

"I'll come, but I'm going under the Cloak." Harry said final.

Invisible Harry and not invisible Hermione were walking in Hogsmeade. They went into Three Broomsticks, this decision was determined by the cold. They sat at a small table in the back of the crowded room. Hogsmeade was filled to the brim with wizards wanting to watch the first task.

"I look like an idiot sitting by myself." Hermione complained, then she pulled out her S.P.E.W notebook. "Luckily, I brought something to do."

Harry spotted Katherine and Diggory sitting at a table together. They were laughing and talking. Harry had an idea. He has been asking himself why she likes Diggory, now he can find out.

"I'll be back." He said to Hermione. Harry got up and walked carefully over to Katherine's table. He pulled out an extra chair, it scraped against the tile. Katherine looked over trying to find the source of the sound. She decided that it was from the next table. Harry sat down.

"I miss Quidditch." Katherine said. Diggory nodded in agreement.

"I do, too, but at least I'm competing in the Tournament." Diggory said.

"I wish I could. It'd be better than sitting around watching." Katherine said.

"I bet it'll take all your self-control to not jump into the ring next Saturday." Diggory laughed. Katherine mimicked herself holding on to her chair and itching to jump out of it.

"Get out of the way, Cedric!" She said pretending like she was taking part of in the first task.

"Let me guess," Diggory said playing along. "You're the fifth champion. You secretly put your name in the Goblet and no one noticed until the night before."

"Yes, but I am not Katherine Peters." Katherine said dramatically as she pretended to take off a mask.

"Mother!" Diggory said acting horrified. Katherine and Diggory roared with laughter. When they finally stopped, tears were in both of their eyes.

Diggory reached over and wiped a stray tear of off Katherine's cheek. She held his hand and pressed it against her cheek. His thumb stroked the end of the scar she got from Quirrell.

Harry couldn't take anymore. He got up, the chair screeched again, and went back to Hermione. He heard one of Diggory's friends go over to Katherine's table.

"Ced, can you explain Snape's lecture quickly?" The friend asked. Diggory looked at Katherine who smiled.

"Go ahead. I just saw Hermione, so I'm going to go say hi to her." Katherine said. She got up and walked over to Hermione.

"Hey, Hermione." Katherine said. Hermione looked up and smiled.

"Hey." Hermione said. Katherine looked at the chair next to Hermione; looked straight at Harry.

"Harry James Potter," Katherine said in a low menacing tone. "If you ever try to spy on Cedric and me, again, there will be no recognizable part of you left to compete in the tournament."

Harry sat shocked, and then whispered. "How d'you guess?"

"One, Hermione wouldn't come by herself. Two, you don't want anyone to see you. And three, I heard the chair screech." Katherine said.

"Well-" Harry started to say.

"Well nothing, Potter. Don't spy on me. Got it? Good." Katherine spun away and went over to Diggory. Hagrid and Professor Moody came over to the table a few moments later. Hagrid told Harry to meet him at his cabin at midnight.

"Why does he want me to come to his cabin at midnight?" Harry asked once the two teachers had left.

"Is that what he wanted? I don't know, Harry. It could make you late for Sirius." Hermione said. Harry decided to go anyways.


	13. Chapter 13

_Chapter 13_

_It should be so simple._ Katherine thought Sunday night while she was about to go to sleep. _Girl likes boy, boy likes girl, therefore they should be together. Simple, right? Ha, wrong._

She has been spending almost all of her free time with Cedric, but the boy won't make a move. She would, were she not afraid of being rejected.

* * *

><p>She was invited by Draco to sit with him during breakfast on Monday. She agreed because she hadn't talked to him in a while. He smiled when she sat down with him at the Slytherin table. Pansy Parkinson scowled, and then took the seat on Draco's right side.<p>

"What's _she_ doing here, Draco?" Parkinson said. Katherine smiled at her.

"Eating, Parkinson. Of course, if I were you, I'd lay off the pie." Katherine said. Parkinson screamed a small scream and clutched at her stomach. She quickly ran over to her friends to make sure that she wasn't fat.

"Ah, your wit." Draco sighed. He leaned back when he saw Harry and flashed something on his chest at Harry. Katherine looked at the flashing thingamabob. It was a badge that said _Support Cedric Diggory, The Real Hogwarts Champion_. Draco pressed a button and the badge now read _Potter Stinks._

"Want one, Katherine?" Draco asked.

"No." Katherine said.

"No? But it's to support Diggory." Draco said.

"Yes, but you're insulting Harry in the process." Katherine said.

"Now, that's just a bonus." Draco said smiling. Even Katherine had to admit it was funny.

* * *

><p>At lunch, Cedric came over looking pale. He asked her to come with him. He went into the Prefect's bathroom with her. The bathroom was divided into the girl's side, the boys' side, and a lounge area. They went inside the lounge. Cedric used <em>Alohomora<em> to lock the door.

"Cedric, you do know that the task is on Tuesday, right?" Katherine asked.

"Yes." He said shocked that she thought he was that stupid.

"It's just when we were in Hogsmeade, you said Saturday was the task." Katherine said.

"Oh." Cedric said. He grabbed Katherine's hand and led her to the loveseat. He sat with his head down, his face as pale as Draco's hair, his hands holding Katherine's hands between them. He just sat like that for at least ten minutes. He seemed to be struggling to breathe, let alone speak.

"Cedric," Katherine said when she could be patient no longer.

He looked up. He jumped and began to pace about the room. Katherine watched him worried.

"Cedric." She repeated.

His gray eyes passed over her, but he didn't stop pacing like a madman.

"Cedric!" She yelled. He stopped. "Tell me."

"The first task," Cedric gulped and turned green. "The first task is . . . dragons."

"Dragons?" Katherine said shocked. She was on her feet in seconds. She pulled Cedric into a hug. He rested his head on her shoulder. He was shaking and Katherine tightened her grip.

"I'm screwed." He moaned.

"How d'you find out? None of the champions are supposed to know until the start of the task?" Katherine said rubbing his back soothingly.

"Potter told me. Apparently, every champion knew except me." Cedric said.

"How noble of Harry." Katherine said.

"Yes, but how am I going to get past a dragon?" Cedric asked. Katherine broke the embrace. She grabbed Cedric's hands and looked at him straight in the eye with her green ones.

"You just need a strategy." Katherine said. He closed his gray eyes and sighed.

"You say that like it's the most obvious thing in the world." He sighed again.

"It is. What general doesn't go into battle without some sort of plan?" She asked. Cedric smiled, and then his face lightened up.

"I've got it." He said excited with a satisfied gleam in his eye.

"Tell me." Katherine commanded. Cedric shook his head.

"You'll just have to see tomorrow."

* * *

><p>In History of Magic the next morning, Katherine was reading a Muggle fiction series she was really addicted to. Hermione kicked her under the desk. Katherine looked up in surprise and annoyance.<p>

"What?" She whispered as Binns kept droning on about goblins or ghosts or something like that.

"You need to pay attention." Hermione hissed. Katherine pulled out their last test in that class and handed it to Hermione. Katherine returned to reading her book.

"A perfect score?" Hermione gasped flabbergasted.

"Ya, I didn't study either." Katherine smiled into her book.

"How come you know history so well?" Hermione asked.

"It's interesting and it's easy for me to remember." Katherine answered. She quickly became engrossed in her book.

* * *

><p>At lunch, Harry and Hermione sat down. Katherine put a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear.<p>

"You've been through worse and, all those times, you had to make it up as you go. You'll do fine." She said. Katherine left them.

"_Bonne chance._" Katherine said as she passed Fleur.

"_Merci._" Fleur said smiling despite looking rather green.

Katherine slide into the seat next to Cedric. He was looking down at his plate as if someone just put a giant slug on top of it.

"You've got to eat something." Katherine said. Cedric grumbled something unintelligible.

"Diggory," Professor Sprout, the Head of Hufflepuff, said. "It's time for the champions to head down to the grounds."

Cedric looked at her. He looked at Katherine. She smiled encouragingly.

"You'll do fine. And listen for me; I'll be the one screaming the loudest." Katherine promised. Cedric smiled, squeezed her hand, and then left.

Katherine joined Hermione and the two girls grew fearful for the champions. Dumbledore dismissed them to the grounds. Hermione and Katherine found seats in the stands of the round stadium next to Ron, Fred, and George.

"Bets? Anyone for bets?" Fred and George were yelling. Katherine poked Draco, who was sitting in front of her. He turned around.

"Lend me a Galleon." She said. Draco reached into his pocket and handed her two. She smiled her thanks.

"Bets? Bets?" Fred yelled.

"Fred! Two on Diggory." Katherine said handing over the Galleons. They wrote her name down. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Ludo Bagman announced using a spell to make his voice louder. "Welcome to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament! Our champions' goal is simple; to get the golden egg. But there is an obstacle in the way; a dragon!"

The spectators gasped in horror. Katherine and Hermione paled.

"The champions have chosen numbers to pick which order they will go in. First up, Mr. Cedric Diggory against the Swedish Short Snout!" Ludo Bagman announced. Katherine leaned forward, gripped in seat in front of her. Draco sneakily patted her hand.

The dragon was put in the pitch by Charlie Weasley and other dragon-keepers. Its nest with real eggs and a golden egg sat in the center of the rocky landscape. A whistle blew and Cedric came out wearing his canary yellow Quidditch robes. He quickly searched the crowd and found Katherine. He smiled and bowed to her. She smiled back.

The Swedish Short Snout reared its giant head and blew fire straight at Cedric. He darted behind a rock. Katherine's breath was caught in her throat. Cedric rolled out and shot off a spell at the rock next to the dragon, exploding it. The dragon ignored it and a claw came down at Cedric.

"CEDRIC, MOVE!" Katherine screamed. Cedric jumped out of the way. Katherine's hands were clutching the bar so hard that it started to crack.

"Narrow miss, very narrow." Ludo commentated.

"Yes, we know, you twit." Katherine muttered. Cedric ran around the pitch jumping over fireballs.

"He's taking risks, this one!" Ludo said.

Something moved out from behind a rock, but it wasn't Cedric. It was a Labrador. The dragon's eyes followed it. Cedric tip-toed over to the golden egg. The dragon looked at the dog, saw Cedric, and decided it liked humans better than dogs. It opened its mouth and fire exploded out of it. The fire hit Cedric straight on.

"CEDRIC!" Katherine shrieked as Cedric fell in pain. The smell of burnt flesh overwhelmed him. Cedric shook himself up and raced towards the eggs. The Swedish Short Snout swatted Cedric like a fly with its tail. Cedric went flying into a rock. With a smack, he hit it and rolled down. He didn't move.

Katherine's Great Basin bristlecone pine wand was in her hand. She felt the dragon heartstring core pounding, itching to be used. Hermione grabbed Katherine's arm.

"You can't help." Hermione reminded her. Katherine looked ready to zap Hermione's hand, but she didn't because Cedric got up. Cedric, using his agility as a Seeker, darted in and out of rocks. He leaped over the fireballs and dived into the nest. He caught the golden egg without hitting any of the other eggs.

"Mr. Diggory has gotten his egg!" Ludo announced. Katherine was so relieved until she saw Madam Pomfrey take Cedric off the field on a stretcher.

"And now for the judges' scores!" Ludo said. He didn't announced the scores, but the judges each shot up the score they thought he got out of ten. Madam Maxine gave him an eight. Barty Crouch gave him an eight. Dumbledore gave him an eight. Ludo Bagman gave him a nine. And Karkaroff gave him a five. Thirty eight points total.

Katherine got up meaning to go to Cedric, but Hermione made her sit down.

"You have to watch Harry." Hermione said.

"Oh, right, Harry." Katherine said, but her mind was on Cedric.

* * *

><p>Harry heard applause from the crowd and heard Ludo Bagman announced Cedric got his egg. He swallowed and tried to think about what he was going to do. A whistle blew and Fleur went out of the tent. After ten minutes, Fleur had her egg and it was Krum's turn. The Chinese Fireball shrieked in pain and Krum had his egg.<p>

Harry held his breath. It was his turn. The whistle blew.

He walked into the rocky pitch and saw the Hungarian Horntail sitting right in front of the nest of eggs.

"_Accio Firebolt!_" He shouted. He hoped that the Summoning Charm would work. If it didn't . . . well . . . good-bye, Harry Potter.

He heard something whistling towards him. His Firebolt came to his side and he jumped on. Everything, his fear and the dragon, were left on the ground. This was just another Quidditch match.

The Horntail launched a stream of fire at him. He easily swung his broom out of the way.

"Bloody hell! Harry can sure fly! Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?" Ludo commentated amazed. Harry looked down and saw two girls, one with curly brown hair and the other with straight dark dirty blonde hair. Both were cheering him on, but he only cared that Katherine was cheering.

The Horntail aimed another fireball at him. He dodged it and streaked down. He tried to grab the egg, but the Horntail swung its barbed tail at him. He got out of the way, but still got hit in the shoulder. With a groan of pain, he went back into the air.

He started taunting the dragon by flying close enough to be a threat, but too far away for the dragon to take care of. Finally, the Horntail decided to take care of Harry. It lifted itself off the ground and fly like a bullet towards Harry. He smiled and dived. Before the dragon knew what happened, he had the golden egg.

"Amazing!" Ludo yelled excitedly. "Our youngest champion is the quickest to get his egg!"

Harry landed and went into the tent with Madam Pomfrey.

* * *

><p>Katherine cheered as Harry got his egg. She and Hermione hugged each other in relief that it was over. Together with Ron, who now decided Harry didn't put his name in the Goblet, they went to the hospital tent. Katherine said hi to Harry, but then went next to door to where Cedric was.<p>

Cedric was sitting up with orange paste on his face. On the right side of his face, he had a cut over his eye. Katherine went over and touched the cut.

"Were you trying to match me with your scar?" She asked pretending to be scolding him. Cedric smiled mostly in relief, but also at seeing her.

"No. The dragon just got a lucky shot." Cedric said smiling.

"I thought you had a plan." Katherine scolded.

"I did, but it didn't work." Cedric said.

"Why not?" Katherine asked.

"I hadn't counted on the dragon fighting back." Cedric said laughing at his own stupidity. Katherine laughed, too.

Cedric reached out and grabbed her neck. He gently pulled her towards him. His other hand placed itself on her back and pulled her closer. She pushed away from him. He looked at her in surprise, and then understanding.

"Don't worry. The ointment tastes like cherries." Cedric said referring to the orange gunk on his face. Were she not annoyed with him, she would have asked him how he knew what it tasted like.

"It's not that. I'm not going to hook up anymore." Katherine said still in Cedric's arms.

"Hook up?" Cedric sputtered.

"When two people who are not together, meet up, and snog." Katherine explained.

"I know what hook up means. But what makes you say that we're having hook ups?" Cedric said, dropping his arms.

"We're not together." Katherine.

"But-" Cedric started to say, but he was interrupted by Harry.

"Katherine, we're going to go see my scores. Come with?" Harry asked.

Katherine was just going to ignore the jet black haired boy, but she saw Cedric was relieved at the interruption. She growled. Cedric got a panicky look on his face.

"Boys." She spat through gritted teeth. Katherine turned on her heel and walked with Harry, Ron, and Hermione back to the pitch. Harry got a total of forty points. This tied him and Krum for first, Cedric was in second, and Fleur in third.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went off to the owlery to send a letter to Sirius. Katherine declined to go with them. She went to the dormitory, closed the curtains around her bed, and laid there until she fell asleep successfully ignoring the party downstairs for Harry.

But then a shrill shriek like a banshee jerked her up. She threw back the curtains to go find the source of the sound. She stopped when she saw a freshly made crème brulee on the bedside table.

* * *

><p><strong>The Muggle series is not Harry Potter, by the way. It's Bluebloods of which I own nothing.<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for not updating for awhile, but I got Skyrim and . . . I don't think I need to complete my sentence.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 14<em>

Harry was very, very, very, very happy that Katherine was mad at Cedric. She refused to be in the same room with him. If he was in the Great Hall, she would eat her meal under the table. Every time Hermione opened her mouth to scold Katherine, Katherine would give her the Dumbledore look and Hermione would shut up.

After Transfiguration on Thursday, Professor McGonagall made Harry stay to tell him something.

"Potter, for the Yule Ball the champions and their partners will open the dancing." Professor McGonagall said. Harry stared at her flabbergasted.

"I don't dance." He said.

"Yes, you do." She said.

"But I don't have a date."Harry protested trying to get out of it.

"Then get one. It shouldn't be too hard; most girls are drooling over you." Professor McGonagall said.

What Professor McGonagall said appeared to be true. Many girls asked Harry, but he said no because he wanted to go with Katherine. He had more of a chance than ever since she was trying her hardest to avoid Diggory.

But every time he tried to ask her, she was not alone. She was either with Hermione and Ginny, or with Fleur and other Beauxbatons students, or with Cho Chang and other Ravenclaws, or with Malfoy. The only time he could see her was at night, but she now went to bed early or was engrossed in a book or homework. Besides, he had until Christmas Eve.

While Hermione was telling Harry that he should be working on his egg in the common room, Fred and George joined the four fourth years.

"Better ask someone before all the good ones are taken." Fred advised.

"Who are you taking?" Ron asked.

"Angelina." Fred answered.

"You asked her?" Ron asked.

"Oh, good point." Fred said as he turned around. "Angelina!"

"What?" She asked.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" Fred asked. She thought for a moment.

"Sure." She said.

"See? Easy." Fred said turning back to Ron and Harry.

* * *

><p>Friday morning, Ron and Harry made plans to both have dates by that evening. Harry chased after Katherine as she ran to the common room right before dinner. He managed to catch her before she reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.<p>

"Katherine," He said breathless.

"Hey, Harry. What's up?" She asked smiling.

"Willyougototheballwithme?" Harry asked as quickly as possible. Katherine stared at him.

"What?" She asked. He took a breath.

_Come on, Potter, don't look like an idiot now._ Harry thought.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" He felt the color in his face rising. Katherine gasped and turned red.

"Harry," Her face twisting as she tried to tell him politely. "I'm sorry, but . . . someone's already asked me."

"Oh, okay," He said lamely feeling deflated. "Who with?"

"Cedric. Cedric Diggory." She said looking down at her feet. Slowly, the gears in Harry's brain began to work.

"I thought you were mad at him?" He asked.

"We made up." Katherine said, looking like she'd rather be drowning in the Black Lake than having this conversation. "Bye, Harry."

"Oh . . . yeah . . . bye." But she was already gone.

* * *

><p><em>Holy crap!<em> Katherine thought.

* * *

><p>Harry walked to the Gryffindor Common Room in a daze. <em>Stupid Diggory! He just has to get in the way of everything, doesn't he?<em> All thoughts of Katherine, however, were driven out of his mind when he saw Ron.

Ginny was with a pale, shaky Ron.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"He asked Fleur to the ball." Ginny said trying to hide her smile.

"What?" Harry said flabbergasted.

"I was walking and she was talking to Diggory. And then something came over me and I blurted it out. Then I ran." Ron explained.

"She's part veela. You couldn't help it. She was probably turning on the charm for Diggory, but she's wasting her time; he's going with Katherine." Harry said.

"How d'you know?" Ron asked.

"I just asked her." Harry muttered.

"We're going to be the only ones without dates. Well, except Neville. But guess who he asked?" Ron said. "Hermione."

"What'd she say?" Harry asked.

"She told him she was going with someone else, but she made that up so she didn't have to go with him." Ron and Harry started laughing.

"Don't laugh." Ginny said warningly.

"Listen, Ginny, you go with Harry." Ron said trying out his matchmaking skills. Ginny reddened.

"I can't; I'm going with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no." Ginny muttered. Hermione walked in.

"Have you seen Katherine?" Hermione asked.

"Hey, Hermione, you're a girl." Ron said.

"Glad you've noticed." Hermione snarled.

"You can go with one of us." Ron said.

"I can't. I'm going with someone else." Hermione said.

"No, you're not. You only said that to get rid of Neville." Ron said.

"Just because you don't know I was a girl, doesn't mean anyone else hasn't!" Hermione snarled and left.

* * *

><p>On Christmas morning, Katherine woke up to a pile of presents. The Malfoys had given her an heirloom necklace that perfectly matched her dress robe. Hermione had given her a new Muggle book series to read during class. Harry gave her a box of different types of sweets; Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans (with all the buttered popcorn taken out), Sugar Quills, Exploding Bon Bons, Chocolate Frogs, and what looked to be Fred and George's Canary Creams.<p>

_Not eating those_. She thought.

Cedric had given her a picture of her and him. The picture version of Cedric and Katherine had their arms around each other and were in complete happiness. She thought of her present to him: a picture of and signed by all the champions.

Sirius had given her a very handy knife. It changed to whatever the user needed; whether it's a pocketknife, a letter opener, or even a sword. She couldn't wait to use it.

Katherine looked at the spot where she had left a package filled with mismatched socks, it had been removed and replaced by a crème brulee. She smiled. Hermione and Katherine spilt the crème brulee for breakfast.

* * *

><p>Katherine got dressed for the Yule Ball. She was wearing sleeveless ivory cream dress robes that stopped just above the knee. She put on the Malfoy's necklace and twirled in front of the mirror. She smiled in anticipation.<p>

She knocked on the bathroom door as she was about to leave. Hermione had been in there for ages.

"Hermione," Katherine called. "I'm leaving."

"Alright, this is taking longer than I thought it would." Hermione said through the door.

"Well, you need to be done there in ten minutes and remember, you don't have your Time Turner anymore, so hurry up." Katherine teased.

When Katherine walked it the Entrance Hall, Cedric appeared at her side. He was wearing ebony dress robes and smiled dazzlingly. Cedric handed her a corsage with a black striking rose. She held out his white rose boutonniere.

"I'd put it on you myself, but I might stab you accidently." Katherine said. Cedric grinned as he accepted the flower.

"Good thing, I wore two shirts." Cedric smiled.

"Yea, and one of them is a bullet-proof vest." Katherine teased.

"Champions and dates, over here please." Professor McGonagall called them over. Cedric offered his arm and she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm. Together, they went over to Professor McGonagall.

Katherine greeted Fleur and her date, Roger Davies. Davies looked as if his life was complete. He looked very dashing, but that was lost due to the fact that he was drooling.

"Chill, veela." Katherine whispered to Fleur who smiled.

Harry was with Parvati Patil and Katherine saw Ron stalk off with a reluctant Padma Patil. Harry smiled at her and scowled at Cedric.

Katherine watched amused as Harry looked at Viktor Krum and his date. Harry's jaw dropped to the floor. Hermione was on Krum's arm. She was dressed in periwinkle blue and her hair was unnaturally straight. She was smiling nervously.

"Now, you will process into the Great Hall and make your way to the Head Table." Professor McGonagall said. "Mr. Diggory, if you please."

Cedric and Katherine led the couples into the Great Hall. The other students applauded as the procession made its way to the Head Table. Katherine and Cedric sat across from Hermione and Krum. Percy Weasley made Harry sit next to him.

They ordered dinner and chatted. For once, Hermione wasn't complaining about elf labor; she was engrossed in conversation with Viktor Krum.

"Viktor, would you like to hear my theory of where Durmstrang is located?" Katherine asked. Viktor looked at her quizzically. Cedric smiled behind his hand.

"I want to hear this." Hermione said.

"I say it's in Russia. One, your uniforms. Two, your names. Three, your crest is a double-headed eagle and that was the crest of the Tsar of Russia. Four, the writing is in Cyrillic." Katherine said looking triumphant. Krum stared at her, and then slightly smiled.

"I don't know if you're right." Krum confessed.

"How do you not know where your school is?" Katherine asked.

"Ve are not allowed to know." Krum said.

"So, they tie you up and let you go when you're at school." Katherine said seriously. "What are you all? Soviets?"

Krum's face started to change into a scowl. It continued to do so, until Katherine could no longer remain serious and she started smiling. Krum, realizing that it was a joke, broke into a guffaw.

"Miss Peters, don't make Mr. Krum laugh himself to death." Dumbledore said pretending to scold her. Then he rose. "Now that we have all filled our bellies, we shall dance ourselves into painful cramps."

The four champions and their dates positioned themselves as the Weird Sisters started the first song. Cedric and Katherine were pressed as close as Professor McGonagall would allow. The first three songs passed too quickly. Katherine found herself to be very warm.

"I need a drink." Katherine said loudly because the Weird Sisters had every amp up to eleven. Cedric and Katherine walked over to a table where Harry, Ron, and the Patil twins were sitting.

A Beauxbatons boy waltzed away with Parvati and Padma wished to be with her sister. Ron had been ignoring her and spending his time glaring at Hermione and Viktor.

"Ronald, are you not going to dance?" Katherine admonished.

"I'm not." Ron muttered. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Padma, allow me to introduce you to my friends." Katherine led Padma over to Parvati and the Beauxbatons boy conjured up one of his friends. Katherine went back to Cedric. She had barely sat down when she noticed Harry staring at her.

"Have you danced, Harry?" She asked him while taking a sip.

"Yes." Harry answered.

"Besides the first one," Katherine sighed annoyed.

"No." Harry said. Katherine rose.

"C'mon," Katherine ordered. Harry followed her to the dance floor. The Weird Sisters played a fast song. Harry and Katherine joined Ginny and Neville in the jumping up and down dancing. For the next song, Katherine stole Neville and Harry was left to dance with Ginny. They danced like two friends and Harry experienced the best part of his night.

At the end of the song, he and Katherine returned to the table. Katherine did not even get a chance to sit before Draco Malfoy appeared. He was dressed in emerald green and wearing a ring with the Malfoy crest of ravens on it.

"May I have this dance?" Draco asked offering his hand. Katherine looked at Cedric who smiled and waved her on. She walked to the dance floor on Draco's arm. The Weird Sisters did something out-of-character; they played a slow song.

Katherine recalled all the ballroom dance lessons she and Draco had to endure. Narcissa had insisted upon them because "One may never know when a deal can be closed with a nice dance."

"Shall we impress the entire dance floor?" Draco asked as they took waltzing positions.

"Yes." Katherine's eyes twinkled with mischief. The first notes started and the couples started to move. Every eye was on Draco and Katherine as they danced perfectly.

Suddenly, Dumbledore and McGonagall twirled past them. Draco and Katherine stopped and stared flabbergasted. Dumbledore and McGonagall were out dancing the two friends. Draco and Katherine looked at each other, and nodded in agreement.

Draco and Katherine walked up to the professors. The four bowed to each other as everyone backed away. The Weird Sisters started up a fast song.

The four couples were moving so fast in the dance off that students moved away in fear of being beheaded. Katherine was doing so many tricks she swore she flipped over Professor McGonagall's head.

When it was over, Katherine collapsed into Draco's arms. Professor McGonagall was leaning rather heavily on Dumbledore as they went to sit down. Draco, instead of taking Katherine back to Cedric, took her outside to the garden.

They sat down on a stone bench. Katherine shivered and Draco put his jacket on her.

"Shouldn't we go back inside?" Katherine asked.

"I want to talk to you first." Draco said.

"What about?" Katherine asked.

"Diggory," Draco said. "I rather like him."

"You do?" Katherine raised her eyebrows.

"He trusts you. He looked at us dancing only to see if we were beating Dumbledore and McGonagall."

"Cedric knows that we are friends."

"Yes, but he didn't glare at you while you were dancing with Potter."

"Ya."

"Mother will like Diggory. You should bring him home."

"I was planning on inviting him during the summer."

"I can't wait to see father's reaction."

"Why?"

"Some guy is dating his little girl."

* * *

><p>To Harry's great relief, the Yule Ball was over. He was walking up to the Great Staircase, when Diggory called his name.<p>

"What, Cedric?" Harry grumbled.

"Have you figured out your egg?" Diggory asked.

"Uh . . ." Harry mumbled.

"Take a bath and bring your egg. Mull things over in the hot water. Tell you what. Use the Prefect's bathroom." Cedric said and he told Harry how to get into the bathroom.

"Uh . . ." Harry sputtered confused.

"I've got to go." Diggory said looking over his shoulder at Katherine who was waiting for Diggory.

* * *

><p>"Wait, let me get something from my dormitory." Katherine said when Cedric joined her after talking to Harry. They walked up to the Gryffindor Tower and saw Harry trying to get the Fat Lady to open up for him.<p>

"Harry!" Katherine called. He turned around and smiled until he saw Cedric.

_What'd Cedric ever do to you? _Katherine thought. _You're in first place!_

"Yes?" Harry asked.

"Can I borrow your Cloak and the Map?" Katherine asked.

"Sure." Harry answered as the Fat Lady swung open.

"I'll wait here, Ekaterina." Cedric said. Katherine smiled at the Russian version of her name.

Katherine and Harry walked into the Common Room to see Ron and Hermione having a row.

"You can't be with Krum! He's the enemy!" Ron yelled.

"The enemy? He hasn't talked to me about Harry or to help him with the Tournament!" Hermione yelled back.

"You shouldn't have gone to the ball with him!" Ron yelled.

"You know what the answer is?" Hermione nearly screeched. "Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does!"

Ron sputtered about something unintelligible as Hermione stormed up to her dormitory. Katherine gave Ron a look that should have killed him.

"You just have to anger everyone this year, don't you, Ronald?" Katherine snarled.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Katherine joined her friends at breakfast when they were halfway finished eating. She stifled a yawn as she poured herself some pumpkin juice.<p>

"When did you get back to the Common Room?" Hermione asked.

"Let's just say the Fat Lady was so drunk she thought she could do magic." Katherine smiled as she closed her eyes.

"Six in the morning!" Hermione exclaimed. Ron looked up from his plate.

"What can you possibly do with a boy for six hours?" Ron asked with his mouth full of bacon.

"Let's just say I'm glad I brought tons of chapstick." Katherine smiled amused at Ron's expression of horror.


	15. Chapter 15

_Chapter 15_

The number of couples increases by eighty percent after a dance. And Katherine was glad to be a factor in the increase. Finally, she and Cedric were dating.

On February twenty-first, the night before the Second Task, Katherine was sitting in the Common Room reading a book about the Romanovs. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were in the library for the umpteenth time. They were trying to find a way for Harry to breathe underwater.

"Katherine," Ginny said interrupting the political life of eighteenth century Russian royal court. Katherine reluctantly looked up for her book.

"Yes?" Katherine asked.

"Professor McGonagall wants you in her office." Ginny said.

"Why?" Katherine asked shocked.

Ginny shrugged. "She looked grim, though."

"Whatever. Ginny, can you put my book on my bed please?" Katherine handed Ginny her book.

Katherine climbed out the portrait hole and walked to Professor McGonagall's office. Sitting in a chair in the office was a young girl with silvery hair.

"You're Fleur's sister?" Katherine asked.

"_Oui._" She answered. "_Je m'appelle Gabrielle._"

"_Enchante._" Katherine smiled. Ron and Hermione walked in with Professor Dumbledore and Professor Moody.

"You are perhaps wondering why we have called you here." Professor Dumbledore said. "The Second Task consists of something being taken away from our champions and being left at the bottom of the Black Lake. Our champions have chosen you to be the thing they'll sorely miss. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter has picked you. Miss Granger, Mr. Krum has chosen you."

Hermione blushed and smiled happily. Ron started to scowl and look furious.

"Miss Delacour, your sister chose you." Dumbledore continued. "Miss Peters, Mr. Diggory has picked you."

Katherine smiled like an idiot and her green eyes twinkled with joy.

"I am going to put you in a deep sleep, but you will be able to breathe. You will wake up when you're out of the water." Professor Dumbledore explained.

"You will not be in any danger." Professor McGonagall assured them.

"I hope not. I don't think I can swim if I'm tied up." Katherine smiled.

* * *

><p>Harry ran with the gillyweed Dobby had given him to the Black Lake. He barely made it in time. Ludo Bagman slapped Harry on the back before he announced the start of the task. Harry waded into the water, and then he dove into the freezing water. He was swimming around in circles until Myrtle popped out and showed him the correct way to go.<p>

He followed the sound of singing to the merpeople's town. In the center of a courtyard, there were four tied up hostages. Harry was the only champion there. Ron, Hermione, Katherine, and a silvery young haired girl appeared to be in a deep sleep.

He swam over to the sleeping Katherine. He looked down at her pretty face. Her brown hair was gently moving with the currents. Her eyes were shut.

_I have a chance. _Harry thought hurriedly. _She's here. No boyfriend in sight. Time to see the fireworks._

Harry leaned down.

_You're always smiling, aren't you?_ Harry thought when he saw that Katherine smiled even when she was sleeping.

Harry leaned closer. He brushed Katherine's lips. He was going to do more, but the merpeople started pointing at something over Harry's head. He looked to see Diggory swimming towards the hostages.

Diggory swam in front of Harry and looked him in the eye. Diggory could have been narrowing his eyes, but the Bubble-Head Charm distorted his face. Harry stared back at Diggory as if saying _Ya, I kissed your girlfriend. What are you going to do about it?_

Diggory looked at Harry before he shrugged his shoulders. He went over to Katherine, untied her, and left.

Harry looked around for the other champions. Suddenly, a half shark half man came charging at him. Krum had tried to Transfigure himself, but it turned out wrong. Harry handed Krum a rock, which Krum used to cut Hermione free. Krum swam off with Hermione.

Harry looked around. Time was running out.

_Where's Fleur?_

* * *

><p>Katherine's head burst through the surface of the water. She gulped in the air and heard cheers. Cedric's gray eyes greeted her. Katherine smiled at him. They swam to shore and were given towels by Madam Pomfrey.<p>

The two sat down away from the crowd. Katherine pulled the towel tighter around her. Cedric started pacing, looking troubled.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked. Cedric continued to pace, looking troubled.

"Nothing." Cedric said, but Katherine gave him a look. He sighed and sat down next to her, holding her hands in his. "Has Harry ever shown you that he wants to be more than friends? Did he ever express feelings to you?"

"Harry? No, he hasn't." Katherine said as a frown appeared on her face.

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked. Katherine noticed that her boyfriend was very bothered.

"Yes. I mean, Harry did ask me to the dance, but that's because he was desperate, I wanted to go, and he wanted to go as friends."

"Friends?" Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but why are we discussing this, darling?"

"Because- wait, did you call me darling?"

"It's either darling or sweetie pie."

"I'll take darling. What shall I call you?"

"I dunno . . . just don't call me babe." Katherine said. Cedric laughed, but then his face went dark.

"Katherine, about Harry-" Cedric tried to say, but he was interrupted by Viktor and Hermione who were coming out of the lake.

Katherine ran over to the edge of the lake and helped Hermione out. Madam Pomfrey gave Viktor and Hermione towels. Viktor took Hermione away to talk to her privately. Katherine looked around and saw Fleur switching her weight from one foot to another.

"Fleur," Katherine said concerned as she walked up to her French friend. "Shouldn't you be in the lake?"

"_Zome 'orrible creatures forced moi to ztop_." Fleur responded looking very concerned.

"Your sister is alright." Katherine said.

"_'ow do you know?_" Fleur asked.

"Cedric," Katherine called him over. "Did you see Fleur's sister?"

"Harry is down there with them." Cedric responded.

"See? She'll be fine, Fleur." Katherine smiled assuredly, but the part veela was not to be comforted.

Cedric grabbed Katherine's arm.

"Katherine, about Harry-" Cedric tried to tell her something again, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Ron, Gabrielle, and Harry.

Harry and Ron helped Gabrielle swim to the shore. Fleur was being restrained by Madame Maxine, but she was fighting tooth-and-nail to get to her sister. She, eventually, got free and held her sister close.

Madam Pomfrey gave the three arrivals towels. Hermione ran over to Harry.

"You're late, Harry. Did it take you forever to find us?" Hermione asked. Harry turned red, but before he could answer, Ludo Bagman started to announce the scores.

"For perfect use of the Bubble Head Charm, but unable to continue, we award Miss Delacour twenty-five points out of fifty." Ludo Bagman said.

"_I dezerve zero_." Fleur muttered.

"Though he Transfigured himself poorly, we award Mr. Krum forty points." Ludo Bagman continued.

The Durmstrang students cheered. Hermione beamed and Krum gave her a tiny smile.

"For perfect use of the Bubble Head Charm, being the first to save his champion, but being a minute outside the time limit, we award Mr. Diggory forty five points." Ludo Bagman said.

The Hogwarts students cheered. Cedric beamed and put his arm around Katherine. She kissed his cheek.

"Though Mr. Potter was the last to arrive, the merchief told us that he was the first to the champions. He would have been first were it not for his determination that all the hostages to be rescued. We award him forty five points for moral fiber."

Most of the Hogwarts students cheered. Fleur clapped enthusiastically. Cedric didn't clap, much to Katherine's surprise; Cedric always cheered on other people.

"Thank the person who gave you your God Complex, Harry." Katherine teased.

* * *

><p>Harry laughed at what Katherine said. Diggory grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him away from everyone.<p>

"Would you like to explain what you were doing in the lake?" Diggory asked. Harry looked him in the eye and flinched; Diggory was angry and it was scary.

"What are you talking about?" Harry said starting to get uncomfortable under Diggory's stare.

"Don't try to be coy, Potter." Diggory snarled. "You kissed my girlfriend."

"Yeah, I did. What are you going to do about it?" Harry sneered. It looked for a moment like Diggory was going to hit him, but Diggory calmed himself down.

"Harry," Cedric said calmly. "Katherine's my girlfriend. I don't want to worry about someone snogging her. How would you feel if our positions were refused?"

Harry's face twisted as he thought about it. "I wouldn't like it."

"Will you back off, please?" Cedric extended his hand to extract Harry's promise. Harry reluctantly shook Cedric's hand.

"I promise." He muttered unwillingly.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>Please review, thank you.<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

_Chapter 16_

Rita Skeeter made a new enemy; Hermione Granger. Rita published a new article about a Harry-Hermione-Viktor love triangle. Thanks to this article, Hermione has been obsessed with finding out how Rita has been able to listen on private conversations.

The next Hogsmeade visit after the second task had the four splitting up. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were going to meet up with Sirius. Katherine was going on a date with Cedric.

The morning of the trip, Cedric and Katherine walked hand-in-hand down the road to Hogsmeade.

After shedding their cloaks due to the warm weather, the happy couple went into Madam Puddifoot's. They sat and ordered tea and biscuits. Cedric moved his chair to where their legs were touching.

"One more task to go." Cedric said smiling.

"And then you'll have to worry about meeting the Malfoys." Katherine teased. Cedric pretended to shudder in fear.

"Do you know what I'm going to do with the money if I win?" Cedric asked. "Take you to Russia."

Katherine gasped in surprise and joy. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do." Cedric smiled at her delight. Katherine threw her arms around him. They sat for a few moments like that.

Katherine looked over Cedric's shoulder to see Roger Davies snogging a Beauxbatons girl. Katherine pulled out of the hug and pressed her lips against Cedric's.

Fireworks pounded against the sides of her head. Katherine never felt so happy in her entire life.

When they stopped, Cedric rested his forehead on hers. Cedric kissed the tip of her nose. Katherine opened her eyes to look into Cedric's warm gray eyes.

Slowly, they pulled away. Cedric grabbed her right hand. Katherine looked down at their entwined hands. With her other hand, she traced a ring on Cedric's left ring finger.

"A present from my father when I became of age." Cedric answered her unspoken question. The ring was yellow and black with an elegant C engraved onto it.

"Quite a present." Katherine said impressed. Cedric smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I can't wait for next year." Cedric said. "Quidditch. I didn't realize how much I missed it."

"And you'll be Head Boy." Katherine said. Cedric blushed a little.

"No, I'm not that good." Cedric said humbly. "I'm sure you'll be made a Prefect."

Katherine laughed. "No, I won't. I get into too much trouble. Besides, I'm up against Hermione."

"So, no Prefect Katherine next year." Cedric laughed with Katherine.

"I hope not. Me and power are not a good combination." Katherine said laughing.

"You know what I like about you?" Cedric asked smiling as he leaned closer to her.

"What?" Katherine whispered inches from his face.

"Nothing gets you down. You always have a smile on your face." Cedric said grinning.

"You know what I like about you?" Katherine asked. "You always see the good in people."

Cedric squeezed her hand. Katherine squeezed back, harder. Cedric grinned and squeezed harder. Katherine's green eyes twinkled with amusement as she tried to crush Cedric's hand. Cedric winced.

"Alright, you win." Cedric said giving up.

"I always do." Katherine said before she and Cedric snogged again.

* * *

><p>Hermione had to deal with tons of hate mail due to Rita Skeeter's Harry Potter heartbreak article. This continued during the following week. Hermione didn't ask her friends to help her catch Rita Skeeter, which they were grateful for. As the Easter holidays grew nearer, the homework load got bigger.<p>

For Easter, Mrs. Weasley sent the four chocolate eggs. Katherine, Ron, and Harry got dragon-sized eggs. Hermione got a chicken egg. Apparently, Mrs. Weasley reads and believes Rita Skeeter's articles.

One night during the last week in May, Harry learned that the third task was a maze. The champions' goal is to make it to the center and get the Triwizard Cup.

This night ended on a horrific note. Mr. Crouch arrived at Hogwarts and demanded to see Dumbledore. Harry left Viktor to watch him, while Harry went to get Dumbledore. When Harry got back with Dumbledore, Viktor was stunned and Mr. Crouch was missing.

The next morning, the four visited Professor Moody to ask him about Mr. Crouch. He told them to not try to investigate the matter.

"Keep your mind on the third task, Potter." Professor Moody said. "Should be right up your alley. From what I hear, you've been getting yourself in and out of scrapes plenty of times."

"We helped." Ron said quickly. "Me, Hermione, and Katherine."

Moody grinned, which made his scars twist around his face.

"Well, help him practice," Moody said. "And you three stick close to Potter. Can't have too many eyes out."

* * *

><p>For the next few days, the four spent free time working on new spells. During Monday lunchtime, Harry was learning the Stunning Spell. This required a sacrifice on Katherine's part. She had to be Harry's target and she kept missing the pillows.<p>

That afternoon found Harry, Katherine, and Ron in Divination. The heavy perfume was basking in the hot classroom. Harry opened the window when he couldn't take not breathing any longer.

Harry stopped focusing on what Professor Trelawney was droning on about. The room started to go fuzzy.

Suddenly, he was on the back of a giant owl, flying over England. The owl landed inside the second floor bedroom in the Little Hangleton house. Harry looked in the room to see Wormtail bowing to something in a chair. A giant snake slithered on top of the chair.

"You're in luck, Wormtail." The high, cold voice of Lord Voldemort. "Your blunder has been taken care of."

"My Lord . . . I am pleased." Wormtail stuttered.

"Sorry, Nagini, but I will not be feeding Wormtail to you." Lord Voldemort said to the snake before turning his attention to his groveling servant. "You will be punished for your blunder, Wormtail."

"Please . . . My Lord . . . I didn't mean to." Wormtail begged.

Lord Voldemort laughed as he raised his wand. "_Crucio!_"

Wormtail screamed like his head was being cut off with a blunt axe. Then all Harry could hear was screaming. He was screaming.

Katherine awoke from her daydream with a jerk, when she heard Harry screaming. The boy's green eyes were closed as he fell to the floor clutching his scar in pain. Harry was screaming as if a red hot poker was being rammed up his behind.

Ron dropped to his knees and began to shake Harry awake. Katherine dropped and slapped Harry.

Harry's eyes burst open. He pressed his hand against his scar in an attempt to relieve the pain.

"My dear boy, you just had a vision." Professor Trelawney said excitedly.

"I just need to go to the hospital wing." Harry said getting up.

"If you leave now, my dear boy, you could lose what connection you've managed to make." Professor Trelawney said.

"I just have a headache and need to lie down." Harry said forcefully. He picked up his bag and started to walk to the trapdoor.

"I'll take him there, Professor." Katherine said as she picked up her bag and followed Harry.

Katherine was not surprised that Harry was going the wrong way to the hospital wing. Katherine walked silently with her friend. He kept looking at her through the corner of his eye as if waiting for some sort of questions. They stopped in front of the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office.

"Uh . . ." Harry said dumbfounded. "Lemon drop?"

The gargoyle remained motionless. Katherine smiled amused.

"Okay. Um . . . Chocolate Cauldrons," Harry said as the gargoyle blinked at him. "Chocolate Frogs. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. Oh, wait he hates those. Just open up! Sugar Quills. Cockroach Clusters."

The gargoyle sprang to life. Harry took a step back in surprise. He and Katherine walked in the passageway, but stopped in front of the door.

"A man has gone missing on Hogwart's ground, Fudge." Dumbledore's voice said.

"Crouch has probably lost his mind and gone wandering." The Minister for Magic said.

"Can we wrap up this discussion?" Professor Moody growled.

"Yes, let's go down to the grounds." Fudge said impatiently.

"No, it's just that Potter and Peters want a word with you, Professor." Moody said before he opened the door.

"Ah, Harry," Fudge exclaimed rubbing his hands together. "We were just talking about last night and Mr. Crouch's disappearance. You were there, weren't you?"

"Yes." Harry answered.

"Well, we're going to review the grounds, so why don't you go back to your class?" Fudge said putting on his awful green bowler.

"Actually, I came to talk to you, Professor." Harry said to Dumbledore.

"Wait here. We shouldn't be long." Dumbledore said as he, Fudge, and Moody left.

Katherine looked around the headmaster's office. A gleaming silver sword in a case caught Katherine's eye. She started to drool in admiration. Anyone who knew Katherine Peters knew that she loves swords

"Remember it?" Harry asked amused by Katherine's gaping mouth.

"No." She answered while shaking her head.

"It's Godric Gryffindor's sword. I killed the basilisk with it." Harry said. Katherine gasped in remembrance.

"Hello, Falkes." Harry said to someone behind Katherine. Katherine turned to see a beautiful red phoenix.

Katherine continued to look at the phoenix, but Harry's attention was elsewhere. He was staring at a silvery light coming from a cupboard. He walked over to it and stared.

Harry really wanted to touch it, but four years of living in the wizarding world had taught him to not touch things. He pulled out his wand and poked the silver surface. He leaned in closer.

Katherine turned around to see Harry falling into some sort of dish thingy. She jumped over to him and grabbed his arm to catch him. Instead, she felt herself fall in.

Katherine groaned as her vision came back. She started when she saw that she and Harry were in a court room filled with unhappy people. Harry jumped next to her when he saw Dumbledore sitting next to him.

"I'm sorry, Professor. It was in your office and . . ." Harry trailed off when he saw Dumbledore was ignoring him. Katherine raised an eyebrow at Harry. He shrugged. Katherine looked at the wizard sitting next to her and slapped him. He didn't appear to register it.

"I hit him rather hard." Katherine said looking down at her hand as if it had failed her.

"We must be in a memory." Harry said.

"Bring in Karkaroff." A younger version of Mr. Crouch said. This Mr. Crouch had the same fanatical look that he had when accusing the four of casting the Dark Mark during the summer. A disheveled Karkaroff with no gray hairs stumbled into the room. He walked over to a chair in the center of the room.

When Karkaroff sat down, the chains around the chair came alive and tightly bound him to it. Karkaroff shivered in front of the gaze of the court.

"Igor Karkaroff, you have been brought from Azkaban since you claim to have names of those who helped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Mr. Crouch said in a fierce voice.

"I do have names." Karkaroff said.

"Say them." Mr. Crouch ordered.

"I can't believe Crouch is negotiating with this one." A voice growled behind Dumbledore. Katherine turned to see Professor Moody with two normal eyes.

"There was Antonin Dolohov." Karkaroff said returning Katherine's attention to the trial.

"Dolohov has been apprehended." Crouch said after looking through his notes.

"I-I-I am glad to hear it." Karkaroff said. Mad-Eye Moody scoffed. Karkaroff started fidgeting.

"Any others?" Crouch asked coldly.

"Evan Rosier." Karkaroff said. Crouch looked through some papers before speaking.

"Rosier is dead." Crouch said as Karkaroff's face fell. "He refused to come quietly and was killed in a struggle."

"And took a piece of me with him." Mad-Eye said indicating to a large chunk missing out of his nose to Dumbledore.

"There was the Travers! Mulciber! Rookwood! He passed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named information from inside the Ministry itself!"

Katherine saw that Karkaroff had struck gold with Rookwood. The watching crowd broke out into murmurs.

"Augustus Rookwood of the Department of Mysteries?" Crouch asked.

"The same!" Karkaroff said eagerly.

"Travers and Mulciber we have," Mr. Crouch said. "You will be returned to Azkaban while we decide."

"I have more!" Karkaroff shouted. "Snape! Severus Snape!"

Katherine's green eyes widen in surprise. She had always known Snape was cruel, but a Death Eater? The thought never crossed her mind.

Harry was not surprised by the fact that Snape was a Death Eater; he was shocked that Dumbledore would trust him.

"Snape has been cleared." Crouch said impatiently. "He has been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore."

"Severus Snape is a Death Eater! I assure you!" Karkaroff yelled. Dumbledore stood up.

"I have given evidence," Dumbledore said calmly. "Severus Snape is no more a Death Eater than I."

"You will be returned to Azkaban, Karkaroff." Crouch said coldly.

Crouch's voice began to fade. The court room was dissolving as Katherine looked around. Everything was swirling around except her and Harry.

Then the dungeon returned. Katherine, Harry, and Dumbledore were sitting next to Mr. Crouch. There was total silence, broken by the dry sobs of a witch sitting on the other side of Mr. Crouch. Crouch looked grayer and gaunter.

The door in the corner opened and four people surrounded by six dementors walked in. They sat down in four chairs. The binds came alive and tightly bound the four. A thickset man stared blankly at Crouch. A thinner man whose eyes were darting around. A woman with thick, shinning black hair and hooded eyes. She was sitting in the chair as if it was a throne. The last being a boy with straw colored hair who having shaking and shivering.

Katherine found her eyes darting back to the woman. There was something familiar about her, but Katherine couldn't place it.

"The four of you stand accused of capturing an Auror, Frank Longbottom, and performing the Cruciatus Curse when he would not give you information on where your exiled master, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, may be-" Crouch said angrily.

"Father, I didn't!" The straw haired boy shrieked.

"You are further accused," Mr. Crouch yelled over his son's desperate shouts. "Of using the Cruciatus Curse on Frank Longbottom's wife, when he would not give you information. You planned to return You-Know-Who to power."

"Mother!" The boy screamed. "Stop him! I didn't do it!"

Katherine never felt so angry in her life. These _people_ performed that curse on the Auror and his wife. Katherine remembered Moody's lesson about the Unforgivable Curses and the demonstration of the Cruciatus Curse. She shuddered and stared with hatred at the four.

"Raise your hands if you believe, as I do, that these crimes deserve a life sentence in Azkaban!" Crouch yelled. Katherine looked around daring one person to not raise their hand. As she did, she saw a blond witch sitting quietly.

_Narcissa!_ Katherine thought shocked.

Narcissa Malfoy's icy eyes were focused on only one person; the raven haired witch. Katherine looked at Narcissa, looked at the witch, and was even more confused.

The crowd raised their hands and their faces were full of triumph. The boy began to scream.

The dementors glided back in the room. The boy's companions rose quietly from their seats. The woman with the hooded eyes looked up at Crouch.

"The Dark Lord will rise again! Throw us away; we will wait! He will reward us. We only were faithful! We alone tried to find him!" The woman yelled. Her voice said somewhat familiar.

_No!_ Katherine thought as she recognized it.

* * *

><p>"I think it is time to return to my office." a quiet voice said next to Harry. The non-memory version of Dumbledore grabbed the fourth years' elbows and they were transported back into the office.<p>

"Curiosity isn't a sin, but you should exercise caution, Harry." Dumbledore said.

"It's alright, Professor, Harry had his wand out." Katherine laughed.

"Shut up, Katherine," Harry hissed. "Professor, what is that?"

"A pensive. It holds my thoughts and memories." Professor Dumbledore answered.

"How?" Harry asked.

"Allow me to show you." Professor Dumbledore raised his wand to his temple, extracted a silvery wisp, and placed it in the pensive.

"What is it you want to speak with me about?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

Harry told the headmaster about his dream. While Harry was speaking, Professor Dumbledore sat back in his chair and listened intently. Katherine had collapsed into a chair, but she was listening as intently as Dumbledore.

"Tell me," Dumbledore said when Harry finished. "Has your scar hurt anytime other than over the summer?"

"No- wait how d'you know about the summer?" Harry asked.

"You are not Sirius's only correspondent." Dumbledore said.

"Professor, what does it all mean?" Katherine asked leaning forward, but managing to keep her back straight.

"I don't know. I have theories, but I am not sure." Dumbledore said with a slight frown.

"Why does my scar hurt?" Harry asked.

"I theorize that it hurts when Lord Voldemort is near or feeling a powerful emotion." Dumbledore answered. Harry nodded his head.

"Professor, do you trust Snape?" Harry asked changing the subject.

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected. "And yes, I do."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"That is a matter between Professor Snape and me." Dumbledore said with a tone of finality. Harry nodded and made to leave.

"Harry, Katherine," Dumbledore said. "Do not tell anyone about Neville's parents; it is his right only to tell."

Harry and Katherine nodded in agreement. Harry walked to the door, before he noticed Katherine was still sitting in the chair.

"You go on ahead, Harry." She said waving him on.

"I'll meet you at dinner." Harry said.

"Actually, I'm going to be with Cedric." Katherine said.

"Oh," Harry said lamely, and then he left.

"Professor, that dark haired woman-" Katherine said rising from her chair and started to pacing.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Dumbledore interjected.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Katherine murmured to herself, before she continued. "She's not . . . I mean . . . She can't be . . . Is she related to . . . to-"

"Narcissa Malfoy?" Dumbledore finished Katherine's question. "Yes, she is."

Katherine sank into the chair and let out a strangled cry.

"Is something wrong?" Dumbledore asked.

"Narcissa wouldn't torture people like that _woman_." Katherine spat out in disgust.

"Narcissa is different from her sister in that way. But they love each other dearly." Dumbledore said. Katherine stood up abruptly.

"That is . . . ah . . . unfortunate." Katherine said balling up her fists.

"Why?" Dumbledore asked Katherine walked to the door and opened it. She turned to the headmaster with fury etched into her face.

"Because if I ever run into _Bellatrix Lestrange_, I won't hold back."


	17. Chapter 17

**I know that this sounds desperate, but please review. Rani, thank you for being consistent!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 17<em>

On the morning of the third task, Katherine was sitting next to Cedric at breakfast. Cedric opened his arms and she snuggled into his chest. Cedric watched as her eyes fluttered sleepily.

"Did you stay up late last night studying for your exams?" Cedric asked softly. Katherine scoffed.

"Hardly. I was reading. I got a new book and couldn't put it down." Katherine said yawning. It was very warm being in Cedric's arms. Katherine fell asleep against his chest.

Cedric kissed her light brown hair. He looked down at her sleeping face and was amused to see Katherine scowling. He had noticed that Katherine scowled in her sleep, then as if she'd annoyed by that, she smiles, and then goes back to scowling.

In her sleep, Katherine turned her right hand over and Cedric placed his hand in hers. His thumb rubbed the outside of her hand. It was so peaceful, holding his sleeping girlfriend in his arms.

"Cedric," Professor Sprout said coming over to him, Cedric shushed her as he looked down at the sleeping Katherine. "After breakfast, you are to go to the chamber. The champions' families are there."

Cedric nodded. He looked down at his watch and saw that Katherine's History of Magic exam was in ten minutes. He woke her up reluctantly. She yawned and blinked her eyes.

"You have your test in ten minutes." Cedric said.

"And? I could show up five minutes before the class ends and could still get a perfect score." Katherine said. Cedric smiled.

"I know. But you'll have to go. My parents are here." Cedric said. Katherine jerked out of his arms and looked furiously around the Great Hall in search for them.

"Where?" Katherine said.

"Not here. In the chamber." Cedric said amused at his girlfriend's reaction.

"I better get going then." Katherine said. "I'll meet your parents at lunch."

Cedric and Katherine snogged good-bye. Someone cleared their throat. Cedric and Katherine stopped and looked at the intruder. Professor McGonagall stared at Cedric. He quickly removed his arm from Katherine's shoulder. Professor McGonagall raised her chin higher and walked off.

"I swear she's like your protective aunt." Cedric whispered. Katherine laughed.

"Be careful or she'll turn you into Cedric the Amazing Bouncing Badger."

* * *

><p>"Potter, the champions' families are waiting in the chamber. You are to go there after breakfast." Professor McGonagall said. Harry was flabbergasted. Harry didn't want to go see his family. The Dursleys are the only family he has and that was awful in itself. He couldn't imagine the Dursleys at Hogwarts.<p>

Then Cedric stuck his head out. "Harry, they're waiting for you."

Harry got up hesitantly. He opened the door to the chamber with a sense of fear.

He saw Cedric being slapped on the back by his father, while his mother beamed. Krum was talking quickly in Bulgarian with his father. Fleur was chatting in French with her mother.

Harry turned to see Mrs. Weasley and Bill Weasley. Harry hugged Mrs. Weasley in relief.

"Mind showing us around?" Bill asked. Harry saw Fleur staring at Bill. Obviously, she doesn't find long hair in a ponytail and jagged fanged earrings unattractive.

Harry spent the morning showing Bill and Mrs. Weasley around Hogwarts. During lunch, the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione joined them. Once Ron sat down, Mrs. Weasley questioned him on how he did on his History of Magic exam.

"Oh, I couldn't remember some of the names, so I made some up." Ron said helping himself to some food. Katherine was walking behind him at that precise moment. She stopped and looked shocked that anyone would make up history. She thumped Ron in the back of the head.

* * *

><p>At dinner, the atmosphere was full of excitement as the last task of the Tournament was taking place soon.<p>

Katherine sat with Cedric and his parents. Cedric had her locked in his arms, ignoring his parents' initial look. But as dinner progressed, the Diggorys decided they like Katherine, and, in turn, Katherine decided she liked them.

"Would the champions please head down to the pitch?" Dumbledore said once everyone was finished eating.

Cedric rose, hugged his parents, and snogged Katherine. As the champions were leaving, everyone was clapping.

After about five minutes, Dumbledore dismissed everyone else. Katherine ran out before anyone. She met up with Cedric outside the champions' tents to wish him good luck properly.

Her wonderful boyfriend opened his arms and Katherine jumped into them. They stood there holding each other for a moment.

"Will you hold onto my ring? I don't want to lose it in the maze." Cedric asked slipping his ring off.

"Sure." Katherine said holding out her right hand for the ring. Cedric turned her hand over and slipped the yellow and black ring engraved with a C into her ring finger. They both smiled.

"As long as you wear it, I'll always come back to you." Cedric said looking at her straight in the eye.

"So morbid. You're acting like the task is going to kill you." Katherine smiled at the hyperbole. Cedric laughed.

"I'm trying to make sure you're not worried." Cedric smiled sweetly.

"I'm not." Katherine smiled, and then narrowed her eyes and adopted a threatening tone. "But you should be if you don't win and I don't get to go to Russia."

Cedric smiled and Katherine broke into a grin. "I have more of a motivation to win now."

"Come along, Mr. Diggory." Ludo Bagman said as he, Dumbledore, Madame Maxine, Karkaroff, and the Minister for Magic walked into the tent.

Katherine kissed Cedric.

"Good luck." She said waving good-bye to Cedric as he walked into the tent.

Katherine went into the stands and sat on the right of Hermione. The Weasleys sat in the row below them.

"Welcome to the last task of the Triwizard Tournament!" Ludo Bagman announced as the four champions walked out on to the field.

"Tied for first place are Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter!" Ludo announced. Katherine clapped enthusiastically for Cedric.

"In second place, Mr. Viktor Krum of Durmstrang Institute!" Ludo announced as the Durmstrang students exploded with applause.

"And in third place, Miss Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons Academy!" Bagman said as the Beauxbatons students applauded delicately.

"Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter, when the whistle blows, you may precede into the maze. Mr. Krum, after five minutes, you will go. Miss Delacour, five minutes after him, you will go." Ludo said.

The whistle blew and Cedric turned around to wave at Katherine. She smiled and waved back. Cedric walked into the maze smiling with Harry walking besides him. Five minutes after them, Viktor went into the maze. Then, Fleur went in.

They couldn't see what was happening in the maze. The setting sun didn't help much. Katherine sat back pretending to be relaxed. Hermione turned to look at her friend.

"You haven't talked much about you and Cedric." Hermione commented.

"I don't like to talk about who I like." Katherine replied as she started blushing.

"Do you like him then?" Hermione asked. Katherine blinked.

"I really like him." Katherine admitted looking past her friend.

Hermione watched quietly as Katherine started to get lost in thought. Katherine's face broke out into a small soft smile.

"Hermione," Katherine said quietly as her eyes darted to look into Hermione's face. "I think I love him."

Katherine smiled that soft smile again and her eyes widened in delight. She was breathless as she said it.

"Have you told him?" Hermione asked.

"No, no. We've got all the time in the world. There's no need to rush. And I'm not sure." Katherine said.

"Not sure? How can you not be sure?" Hermione asked.

"I've never been in love before!" Katherine said flailing her arms around to express her point.

"Do you have any pet names for each other?" Hermione asked. Katherine laughed.

"You mean like Cedgy-Wedgy?" Katherine laughed heartily. "No, I call him darling, but he is trying to figure out what to say to me."

"And you're not mad about that?" Hermione asked.

"I told you. We've got all the time in the world." Katherine smiled. A scream from the maze tore the smile off of Katherine's face. She jumped to her feet and scanned the maze for the source.

After a few tense moments, red sparks appeared above a spot in the maze. Professor McGonagall went to the source and returned with shaky Fleur. Fleur spoke with her sister, mother, and Madam Maxine before climbing up the stands to sit with Katherine who was now sitting.

"Are you alright?" Katherine asked scanning Fleur for any wounds.

"_Je suis parfait._" Fleur said.

Katherine gave her a disbelieving look.

"_Parfait._ . . . _I waz attacked._" Fleur said in a whisper.

"By what?" Katherine said as fear constricted her throat when she thought of Cedric in a maze with an attacking beast.

"_I don't know._" Fleur said, rising to leave.

Katherine caught her arm and looked up desperately at the French girl. "Did you see Cedric?"

"_Non._" Fleur said, sadly shaking her head. Katherine released her arm and Fleur left to go to her family.

"I'm sure he's alright, Katherine." Hermione said peering at her friend's face. Katherine was staring out at the maze biting down on her lip with worry.

Katherine smiled and relaxed.

"So, tell me about you and Viktor." Katherine said. It was Hermione's turn to go red.

"He asked me to visit him in Bulgaria." Hermione said.

"Are you going?" Katherine asked.

"I don't know." Hermione answered.

"D'you want to go?" Katherine asked.

"I do." Hermione answered smiling. Katherine matched the smile.

Suddenly, the evening air was filled with yells of pain. Katherine jumped out of her chair. Good thing there was no one behind them; they were sitting on the highest bench.

"Cedric," She whispered recognizing the yells. He was in great pain. They seemed to go on for eternity. Katherine kept getting paler and paler. She was gripping the rail in front of them in a bone crushing grip.

"Katherine?" Hermione whispered worried.

"I feel so . . . helpless." Katherine said pain apparent in her face and a lump rising in her throat. "I . . . can't just . . . sit here. I have to do something."

"What are you going to do? By the time you find him, the situation will be over." Hermione said. Katherine turned around, eyes flashing.

"Don't bring logic into this." Katherine tried to scowl, but failed and ended up smiling.

"Do you ever stop smiling?" Hermione asked. Katherine thought about it for awhile.

"No." Katherine said as Cedric's yelling stopped and red sparks exploded over the maze. Hagrid went in a brought out a dizzy Viktor. Krum shook his head like a dog. He saw Hermione and went to go sit next to her.

"Viktor, did you see Cedric?" Katherine asked not even bothering to say hi.

"I . . . think I attacked him." Krum muttered confused. Katherine jumped up again. Her eyes were flashing angrily, a muscle was working in her jaw, and her hands were clenched.

"_You what?_" She snarled losing control.

"I vas put under a curse." Krum said. Katherine relaxed and sat back down.

"I'm sorry. I can't wait for this to be over." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Cedric's hand was still shaking from the Cruciatus Curse Krum used on him. He was angry. He didn't understand why Krum would do that.<p>

_Just wait until I tell Katherine._ Cedric thought. _Wait, if I do that, she'll go on a rampage. Okay, not telling Katherine._

He made a turn and saw it. The beautiful, shinning, silver Triwizard Cup. It was within his grasp. The glory for Hufflepuff. The money for a wonderful trip with Katherine. And he would be the one to get it.

His eyes were solely on the Cup as he ran for it. Harry was nowhere in sight. This was Cedric's game to win.

"Cedric! On your left!" Harry's voice said from behind him. Cedric looked down to see a giant spider. He jumped out of the way, but tripped and lost his wand. The spider towered over him.

"_Stupefy!"_ Harry yelled. The spell hit the spider, but did nothing, except make the spider go after him. Cedric grabbed his wand, but his spells were bouncing off the spider.

The stupidly large arachnid picked up Harry and lifted him eight feet in the air while biting his leg.

"_Stupefy!_" Harry and Cedric yelled. The spider was stunned and released Harry, who fell onto his injured leg. Harry shakily got to his feet. He was leaning against a hedge breathing hard.

"Go ahead. Take it." Harry said.

Cedric looked over his shoulder at the Cup. He started to imagine his trip with Katherine. How happy she'd be. But she would understand. Katherine would want him to play honorably.

"No." Cedric said.

"Don't be an idiot. You've won. Take it." Harry said exasperated. Cedric crossed his arms and refused to move.

"You helped me. You deserve it." Cedric said.

"And you helped me. We're even." Harry said.

"I'm not taking it." Cedric said firmly.

"We'll take it together. It's still a Hogwarts win." Harry said. Cedric dropped his arms. He could still take Katherine to Russia even with half the money. He broke out in a smile.

"Yes!" Cedric said cheerfully. He went over and helped Harry walk over to the Cup. They each put a hand over one of the handles.

"Ready? 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!" Harry said. They grabbed the handles.

Cedric felt a pull around his navel. He and Harry were lifted off the ground. With a smack, they hit the ground. Cedric got up a groan to see that they were in a graveyard. Up the hill was a great big house. Cedric looked at Harry who was still on the ground clutching his leg in pain. Harry shook himself up.

"Wands out, d'you reckon?" Cedric said. Harry nodded and they pulled out their wands.

Suddenly, Harry grasped his scar in pain and fell to his knees. Cedric bent down next to him.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Cedric asked worriedly.

Harry groaned. "Get back to the Cup! Go!"

"I'm not leaving you here." Cedric said. A twig snapped and Cedric saw a rat-like man carrying a bundle coming towards Harry. Cedric stood up and pointed his wand at the man.

"What do you want?" Cedric said.

"Kill the spare." A high, cold voice commanded.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" The rat man said.

Time seemed to slow down. Cedric saw a green light coming out of the man's wand. A wonderful green that reminded him of Katherine's eyes. The light hit him.

_Katherine._ Cedric thought.

* * *

><p>Miles away at Hogwarts, Katherine Peters felt like someone had just socked her in the stomach. The air busted out of her and Hermione grabbed her arm.<p>

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked concerned. Katherine turned her head to look Hermione straight in the face.

"I don't know."


	18. Chapter 18

**The other day, I was watching Deathly Hallows Part 1 and started thinking about everything I wanted to write about for this story. Then I realized that I'm only on year four. *face desk* Good thing I'm patient.**

* * *

><p><em>hapter 18<em>

Cedric was hit with the Killing Curse. He flew backwards and landed spread eagle. Harry looked at the blank, lifeless grey eyes. Cedric's mouth was slightly open and his face looked rather surprised.

Suddenly, Wormtail was grabbing Harry and tying him to a grand tombstone. His wand had slipped from his fingers the second his scar started hurting.

There was a cauldron in front of Harry. Cedric was lying twenty feet away and the Cup, the Portkey, was off beyond it.

Wormtail tossed the bundle, a bone from the grave Harry was standing over, Wormtail's right, and Harry's blood.

Smoke began to rise out of the cauldron. Slowly, a sickeningly pale man stepped out of the cauldron.

"Robe me, Wormtail." The man said in a high, cold voice. Wormtail, sobbing, did as he was told. The man was admiring his new body. Wormtail handed him his wand and he used the Cruciatus Curse on his servant. He laughed and grabbed Wormtail's left arm. He touched a black skull and snake mark on the arm. Wormtail screamed, the man laughed, and turned around.

Harry stared into the red eyes of Lord Voldemort.

Voldemort was bald and had snake-like silts for a nose. He was not handsome like he was when Harry met him in the Chamber of Secrets.

_Crap._ He thought.

"You stand, Harry Potter, on the bones of my Muggle father. My mother . . . ran away with him." Voldemort spat in disgust. "Listen to me . . . I'm becoming sentimental. . . . Look, Potter, my true family comes."

Hooded figures in masks appeared before Voldemort. They walked hesitantly towards him. Then one-by-one they dropped to their knees, crawled forward, and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

When they were done, they backed away and created a circle leaving spaces, but Voldemort did not seem to be expecting anymore.

"Well, my friends . . . thirteen years it has been . . . thirteen years. . . . Yet, you come as if it was only . . . yesterday." Voldemort said to the circle. "I find myself wondering why . . . why didn't my faithful Death Eaters come find me. You before me . . . escaped Azkaban through claiming you were being forced to do things. . . . But here you are."

Voldemort walked towards one of the Death Eaters. He tore off the mask of Lucius Malfoy.

"Lucius, my slippery friend, why did you not try to find me?" Voldemort asked.

"My Lord, I looked for the signs-" Lucius Malfoy said.

"There were signs. But I know you will prove your loyalty in the future." Voldemort said.

"Yes, My Lord. Thank you, My Lord." Lucius Malfoy said bowing his head. Voldemort moved to the spot next to Mr. Malfoy; it was big enough to fit two people.

"The Lestranges should be here, but they went to Azkaban rather than betray me." Voldemort said. "They will be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams."

Voldemort moved past several of the Death Eaters, but others such as Macnair, Crabbe, and Goyle received a word from Voldemort. The Dark Lord walked on and paused at the biggest gap in the circle.

"Six used to stand here. Three are dead. One is too cowardly to return; he shall be dealt with. Another believes he has left me forever; he shall die. The last is the most faithful; it is thanks to him that we have our guest of honor here." Voldemort said looking at the tied up Harry.

Lucius Malfoy's eyes looked at Harry, but then something else caught his attention. He turned his head slightly to see Cedric's dead body. He paled.

_Yeah, that's right. Your master just killed your daughter's boyfriend. _Harry thought maliciously. _You're in for some hell._

"I would introduce you, Harry, but you're almost as famous as me nowadays." Voldemort said.

"My Lord," Lucius Malfoy said recovering from his shock. "How did you achieve this miracle?"

"An interesting story that begins and ends with Mr. Potter here." Voldemort said. "As you all know, I killed the boy's parents and attempted to kill him. But his mother died for him. I was stripped of my powers. I was weak. I couldn't touch him."

Voldemort put his finger close to Harry's cheek.

"But now, his blood runs through mine. Now, I can touch him." Voldemort pressed his finger against Harry's cheek. Pain like no other exploded in Harry's head as his scar burned. After an eternity, Voldemort removed his finger and turned back to his Death Eaters.

"I had created so many experiments to be beat death and they worked. But I needed a body. I possessed snakes, but they quickly died.

"Then four years ago, a young wizard stumbled upon me. He was recently made a professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I possessed him and tried to get the Sorcerer's Stone, but was thwarted by Harry Potter.

"Potter had brought a shield with him. You see the first time I tried to kill him, his mother died for him. When I tried to kill him a second time, a girl named Peters -or something like that- jumped in front of a spell for him. And now, that boy over there died for Potter. But there's no one else to act as a shield right now, Harry." Voldemort smirked.

Harry tensed in anger. This was getting worse every second. He needed to get out of here.

"But less than a year ago, Wormtail found me. He brought me Bertha Jorkins, a worker at the Ministry. She told me about the Triwizard Tournament being held at Hogwarts this year. And about a faithful Death Eater who was ready to help me. That Death Eater went to Hogwarts enchanted the Goblet of Fire to make sure Harry Potter took part in the Tournament, and to make sure he won. And that he was brought here to me. To die." Voldemort said.

He turned to the sniveling Wormtail who was clutching his stubby arm. Voldemort rewarded Wormtail for giving him a body by giving Wormtail a silver stronger right hand.

"Untie our guest, Wormtail, and give him his wand." Voldemort instructed.

Harry fell onto his injured leg when Wormtail sliced his bonds. Harry's wand was shoved roughly in his hand. He considered running, but the Death Eaters closed around him and Voldemort, who was ten feet away.

"You've been taught to duel, I presume, Harry? We bow to each other." Voldemort said mockingly as he bowed to Harry. "Bow to me, Potter."

Harry refused to move. Voldemort raised his wand and Harry felt like an invisible hand was pressing his spine into bending. Voldemort lowered his wand and the pressure subsided.

"Now we duel." Voldemort said. Before Harry could think, he was hit by the Cruciatus Curse. He fell to the ground as the pain burnt through him. After an eternity, the pain was gone. Harry lay panting heavily.

"That was a taster, Harry Potter." Voldemort said as the Death Eaters laughed.

Harry got up and looked into the scarlet eyes. He was going to die. Die like Cedric. He wasn't going to beg. He wasn't going to obey his parents' killer.

"Do you want me to do that again?" Voldemort said. Harry stood up straight and refused to say anything.

"Answer me." Voldemort ordered in a voice that would freeze ice. "_Imperio!_"

Harry felt a fog drift into his mind. A voice told him to say no. But Harry didn't want to do as the voice told him. It urged him again more forcibly.

"I WON'T!" Harry yelled. The fog disappeared.

"Now, Harry, before you die I will teach you obedience." Voldemort mocked. He raised his wand, Harry darted behind the tombstone, and the curse took off the top of the stone.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Voldemort mocked in a sing-song voice. "Does this mean you have grown tired of our duel? Come out. . . . Death is quick . . . perhaps painless . . . I wouldn't know."

Voldemort was coming closer and closer. Harry wasn't going to die crouching like a child. He was going to die standing upright like his father. Harry stood up and walked out from behind the tombstone.

Voldemort was ready. As Harry yelled, "_Expelliarmus!_" Voldemort screamed, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

A green jet of light burst out of Voldemort's wand as red jet of light came out of Harry's wand. The jets of light collided and attached themselves together.

Much to the two duelers' surprise, they began to rise in the air. The light turned golden and started to branch off, encasing them in a golden web.

Harry's wand was shaking like an earthquake. It took both of his hands holding onto the wand to keep it from falling out of his grasp.

A beautiful song surrounded Harry. It was a phoenix song. It filled Harry with hope and made him feel as if Dumbledore was with him.

A bead of light made its way towards Harry. He didn't know how, but he knew that the bead couldn't reach his wand. He focused all his energy on sending it back to Voldemort.

The bead contacted with Voldemort's wand and out came Cedric Diggory.

"Keep it up, Harry. Don't break the connection." Cedric said. Then the old man from Harry's dream over the summer came out.

"That one killed me." The man said. Then Bertha Jorkins came out.

"Don't let go!" she cried to him. "Don't let him get you, Harry!"

The three shadowy figures paced the inner walls, encouraging Harry.

Another head started to emerge. Harry felt his throat constrict. A smoky shadow of a woman with long red hair looked at him.

"Your father's coming." His mother said looking at him with the same green eyes. "Hold on . . . it'll be alright, honey . . ."

A tall, messy jet black haired, glasses wearing man came out of the wand. He walked over to his son.

"Once the connection is broken, we can only linger for a moment. We will give you time. You must get the Portkey and get to Hogwarts. Do you understand, son?" James Potter asked.

"Yes," Harry gasped, struggling to hold onto his wand.

"Harry," The figure of Cedric said his eyes wet. "Take my body back . . . take my body back to my parents. . . ."

The figure of Cedric took a breath. His eyes were filling with tears.

"Tell Katherine 'ello, love. . . . Tell her I love her."

"I will." Harry promised.

"Break the connection, Harry." His father ordered.

"Go ahead, sweetheart." His mother said.

Harry jerked his wand up and ran as the shadows attacked Voldemort. He dodged the curses the Death Eaters were firing at him. He jumped and landed next to Cedric's body. He grabbed Cedric's left arm.

"_Accio Cup!_" Harry said. The Portkey flew into his hand. He felt the wonderful pull at his navel and he landed on the grass at Hogwarts.

* * *

><p>Katherine saw Harry and Cedric appeared out of thin air holding the Cup. But something was wrong. Everyone was cheering, but Katherine was out of her seat. Then Fleur screamed.<p>

Hermione tried to grab Katherine's arm, but Katherine was out of reach.

"Grab her!" Hermione yelled. She knew Katherine couldn't, shouldn't see.

Mrs. Weasley jumped out, but Katherine got around her. Draco grabbed her arm, but she shook him off. She made it to the bottom of the stands and she jumped over the rail. Katherine ran to where Harry and Cedric were. Cedric was lying on his back and Harry was lying on his stomach. Katherine ran to Cedric's right side.

Blank grey eyes stared up at the sky. She faltered and fell to her knees.

"Cedric, Cedric." She whispered. He didn't move.

Katherine felt for a pulse and found none. She tried to restart his heart.

"Cedric, Cedric, look at me, look at me." Katherine said starting to freak. Her heart pounded twice as fast. She stared into his eyes.

"He's back. Voldemort is back." Harry said his voice distant as if it was on Pluto.

Katherine looked down at Cedric, clinging to his warm hand.

_He'll wake up in a minute. _Katherine thought. _He knows I'm here. He'll wake up soon._

"Voldemort killed Cedric." Harry's voice said from Pluto.

Katherine's chin quivered. Her green eyes filled with tears. She buried her head in Cedric's chest.

"He's dead. He's dead." She muttered into the canary yellow fabric.

"Katherine. Katherine," Harry said searching for her. "Cedric says 'ello, love.' And he says that he loves you."

A wail came out of Katherine as her heart broke.

"I love you. I love you." She said into Cedric. "I love you. You can't be dead. There has to be a way."

Katherine removed her head from his chest. Didn't she hear somewhere that true love's kiss could cure anything?

Katherine leaned down. Her eyes locked onto his blank ones. She pressed her lips against his. She kissed him as hard as she could. She put all of her energy into this one kiss. She leaned back to see no difference.

"Katherine," A soft, gentle voice said. Katherine looked up to see the worried blue eyes of Professor Dumbledore. Her voice caught in her throat, tears slide down her face, her jaw clenched.

"You said that love is the most powerful thing ever!" Katherine accused.

"No spell can bring back the dead." Dumbledore said quietly.

Katherine wailed again and buried her head back into Cedric's chest. She held his right hand in her left and his left in her right. She was crying and felt her heart breaking with every tear.

"Minerva," Dumbledore said.

Katherine felt a hand enclose around her arm pulling her back, pulling her away from Cedric. She jerked and fought.

"No, no, no, no, no. I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" Katherine screamed attached to Cedric only by her hands as more people started to pull her. Katherine kicked and refused to let go of his hands.

"Katherine, you can't stay here." Professor McGonagall said in her ear. Katherine jerked, struggled, and kicked. She freedom herself from them and attached herself in every way possible to Cedric.

She covered his barely warm face with kisses. She kissed his nose as he so often did to her. She pressed her cheek against his, closed her eyes, and cried into his neck. Katherine kissed his cheek.

Katherine untangled her hands from Cedric's. She cupped his face and pressed her forehead against his. She stroked his cheeks and closed her eyes.

"I love you." Katherine said her face soaking wet. "I won't stop loving you. I promise."

And Katherine's word was as good as Lancelot's; she always followed through on her promises.


	19. Chapter 19

**I just realized I have ten chapters written on just year four. Wow, this is going to take me a while.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 19<em>

"Katherine, come with me. Please." Professor McGonagall said. Katherine kissed Cedric's lips one last time. She got up and let Professor McGonagall lead her away. The Transfiguration Professor sat her down in a chair away from everyone and gave her a handkerchief.

"Stay here." Professor McGonagall ordered. Katherine nodded, unable to speak.

She felt herself going numb. Part of her assured her that it was only a dream. That she would wake up soon. That she would go into the Great Hall, Cedric would be there, and open his arms for her.  
>But then another part told her that it wasn't a dream. That it was real.<p>

With a heavy sigh, Katherine looked over at Cedric. Something was wrong, but Katherine couldn't place it.

_Wait, where's Harry?_ Katherine thought. She knew Dumbledore wouldn't have want Harry gone from his side. She looked around and saw two figures -one limping and carrying the other- walking towards the castle.

Katherine removed her wand from the inside of her coat. Wiping the tears from her face, she went after them.

_Harry's in danger. You can cry later. You need to help him. Friends first. Always friends before you. _Katherine told herself as her wand hand shook.

Katherine had the ability to detach herself from her emotions. She learned, after years of practice, how to lock herself in her mind and not feel anything. That's what she did now.

The figures went inside the castle and went into Professor Moody's office. Katherine hid behind the door with her wand at the ready.

"There's a Death Eater at Hogwarts!" Harry said through the door sounding frantic. "He put my name in the Goblet of Fire!"

"I know." Moody said quietly; Katherine could barely make him out.

"Karkaroff?" Harry asked.

"Has ran off the minute his Mark burned." Moody said with an odd laugh.

"Karkaroff's gone? He wasn't the one who put my name in?" Harry asked.

"No," Moody said. "I did."

Warning bells went off in Katherine's head. She decided that she had to get in there. She started looking at the door for some weak points.

"Imagine how powerful the Dark Lord will be with me at his side. He is back, Harry Potter, and he will win. I will kill you for him." Moody said crazily.

Katherine opened the door and slide into the spot between Moody's wand and Harry, who was sitting in a chair clutching his arm.

"Over my dead body." Katherine said gritting her teeth.

"I thought you were crying over one." Moody smirked.

Katherine ignored him and turned her head slightly towards the boy behind her. "Alright, Harry?"

"Better now." Harry said. Katherine nodded.

"You know I've always admired you, Peters." Moody said. "You could by a great asset to the Dark Lord. He could make you powerful."

"I don't want to be powerful." Katherine said.

"Let me kill Potter, and then I'll take you to Him." Moody said as if this was a reward.

Katherine looked at him with disgust. "If you think I'll stand aside and let you kill Harry, you're an idiot. And if you think I'll join Voldemort, you're insane."

"Don't say his name!" Moody's eyes flashed.

"Voldemort." Katherine said enunciating every syllable.

"_Crucio!_" Moody said.

The spell hit Katherine. All she wanted to do was fall onto the ground and shriek in pain. She wanted to curl up in a ball to stop the pain.

_Harry._ A small voice reminded her. If she fell, Harry would die.

_If I fall, Harry dies. If I fall, Harry dies. If I fall, Harry dies._ The mantra ran through her head, strengthening her.

Katherine straightened up as she detached herself and locked herself in her mind. The pain was still there, but it wasn't as intolerable. Her knees were shaking, but she forced them to stop. Her wand arm never dropped from her position of pointing it at Moody's face. But it was shaking. Her jaws were clamped shut to stop her from screaming.

But she knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

Moody released the curse. Katherine greedily swallowed air. Moody stared at her obviously impressed.

"Yes, Peters, the Dark Lord can use you. Stand aside and we can go see Him." Moody said.

"No." Katherine said in a hoarse voice as her breath slowly returned.

"_Crucio!_" Moody said again.

Katherine was barely ready. A moan escaped through her lips, but she shut her mouth stubbornly. She was shaking all over. Her legs felt as if they would come out from under her.

_If I fall, Harry dies. If I fall, Harry dies._ Katherine repeated the mantra over and over.

Her wand hand hadn't moved, but it was shaking horribly now. She was pretty sure that if she tried to cast a spell, it would hit everything, except Moody.

The spell was lifted. Katherine doubled over and coughed. Every time she took a breath, it was ragged and shallow.

"Join Him." Moody said again.

"No," Katherine whispered, but her resolve was strong. She looked down at Cedric's ring and she straightened up. Katherine lifted her chin and stood upright just like Narcissa had taught her.

"_Crucio!_" Moody said.

Katherine was close to giving in. She was close to screaming. Close to falling. Close to shrieking and shaking. Close to giving in to the agony. She couldn't see anything besides pain. Everything hurt. Everything felt like it was one fire.

Someone touched her back gently. She was confused. There was nothing around her, but pain.

_And Harry._ That small voice that gave her strength said in the back of her head.

_If I fall . . . _Her thoughts started to lose their strength. _If I fall . . . Harry dies. Harry . . . dies._

The curse was released from her. Her eyes were becoming unfocused. She was shaking, but still standing. She was barely breathing and was pretty sure her lips were turning blue.

"Join Him. He will give you power." Moody said his eyes freaking greedily.

"I am not Julius Caesar. I will not accept the fourth time." Katherine said her voice gaining power.

"_Cru-_" Moody tried to say, but a voice crying "_Stupefy!"_ interrupted him. Katherine looked to see Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape coming into the office.

"Thank goodness." Katherine breathed.

The last of her resolve broke. Harry watched helplessly as Katherine collapsed to the floor. He gently rolled her on her back, and rested her head on his lap.

Her face was quivering. Her body was shaking violently. She had no color anywhere. She was so pale that she looked like Voldemort. Her forehead was wet with cold sweat. Her eyes were open and rolling around in her head. Her scar from Quirrell was so red it looked like she had just received it. It was violently red and hurt him to look at it. She closed her eyes and bit down on her lower lip so hard that it started to bleed. Her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked and looked at him.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Katherine asked weakly.

"Why are you asking if I'm fine? You're the one who took three bouts of the Cruciatus Curse." Harry said.

"Yeah, and I'm making sure it was worth it." Katherine tired to smile, but couldn't. Smiling meant everything was fine. Smiling meant Cedric was alive.

"Come, let's get you both to the hospital wing." Professor McGonagall said helping Katherine sit up.

"No, Harry needs to know why." Dumbledore said.

"Fine, Katherine, come with me." Professor McGonagall helped a very shaky Katherine to her feet.

"I'm staying with Harry." Katherine said weakly. Professor McGonagall looked at Dumbledore who smiled slightly.

"He'll tell her everything anyways." Dumbledore said. Katherine leaned against Professor McGonagall as the Professor led her into a chair.

"Severus, go down to the kitchen and get a house-elf called Winky. Minerva, go to Hagrid's hut, where there will be a large black dog sitting on the porch. You are to take the dog up to my office and tell him I will be with him shortly." Dumbledore said.

If Snape and McGonagall found these instructions weird, they made no outward appearance of showing it. Dumbledore went to Moody's trunk and opened all seven levels of it. Harry let out a cry of surprise. Katherine got up and walked over to see the real Alastor Moody. He was thin, starved, his wooden leg gone, an empty eye socket, and chunks of his hair missing. Katherine gaped between this Moody and the unconscious one on the floor.

"He's been stunned and controlled by the Imperius Curse. He's weak. Harry, throw down the imposter's cloak." Dumbledore said and Harry did as he was told.

Katherine picked up the imposter's hip flask and smelled its contents. She was reminded of her second year and Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Polyjuice Potion." Katherine said. Dumbledore looked at her surprised.

"How do you know that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Uh, no reason." Katherine said looking down at her shoes.

They all turned to look at Moody who was changing. The scars were fading, the skin was no longer rough, the nose became whole and shrunk. The gray grizzled hair was withdrawing and turning the color of straw. With a clunk, the wooden leg fell away as a normal leg grew in its place. The magical eye popped out and whizzed around on the floor.

"Barty Crouch Jr.!" Katherine exclaimed. At that moment, Winky arrived and slammed herself into Crouch's chest.

"You is killed Master's son!" The distressed elf shrieked.

"He is Stunned, Winky." Dumbledore said as Snape poured Veritaserum into Crouch's mouth. Dumbledore pointed his wand at Crouch's chest and said, "_Ennervate._"

Crouch opened his eyes. Dumbledore started to ask him questions about how he escaped from Azkaban. How his mother and him switched places by using Polyjuice Potion. And how his father put him under the Imperius Curse and forced him to wear an invisibility cloak. Then he talked about at the Quidditch World Cup where he told Harry's wand and casted the Dark Mark. Then his mouth twisted into an insane smile.

"And then he came for me." An insane glint twitched in his eye as he spoke. Crouch told how Voldemort placed the Imperius Curse on his father and how Voldemort made Crouch take the place of Moody. Then Mr. Crouch escaped and his son killed him.

"And tonight, I put the Cup in the maze, turned it into a Portkey, stunned Delacour, put the Imperius Curse on Krum so that he would take of Diggory and leave Potter free to take the Cup. And now, my master is powerful again." Barty Crouch Jr. said laughing insanely.

Dumbledore raised his wand and ropes jumped out to bind Crouch tightly. He turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, can you stand watch while I take Harry and Katherine to my office?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course," said Professor McGonagall. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at Barty Crouch.

"Severus, please tell Madam Pomfrey to come here and take Alastor Moody to the hospital wing. Then go down to the grounds and bring Cornelius Fudge to this office. Tell him I will be in the hospital wing in a half hour time." Dumbledore said. Snape nodded his head.

Katherine saw that when Harry stood up, he nearly fell over. She grabbed his arm and helped him walk to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

Harry looked at Katherine's face and saw that she was trying not to think. He was feeling a numbness creep up on him. He wanted to comfort her, but he knew that it wouldn't help.

"Professor, where are Mr. and Mrs. Diggory?" Harry asked. Katherine started and a tear slide down her cheek.

"They are with Professor Sprout. She knew Cedric best." Dumbledore said squeezing Katherine's shoulder. They reached the office and walked inside. Sirius was looking as gaunt as he did when he had escaped Azkaban. He crossed the room and helped Harry into a chair. Katherine collapsed into the one next to him and Dumbledore sat at his desk.

Dumbledore told Sirius everything that Barty Crouch Jr. had said. Katherine wasn't listening. She was trying keep the thoughts, the pain, and heart breaking at bay. Once Harry was sleeping and safe, she would rest. Harry first, Katherine later.

"Harry," Dumbledore said causing Katherine to look up. "I need you to tell me everything that happened after you touched the Portkey."

"Can't we wait till morning, Dumbledore?" Sirius said with his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Let him sleep. He needs to rest."

Dumbledore leaned forward to Harry. Katherine got out of the chair and stood looking out the window. She leaned against the frame and rested her head against the cold window pane.

"I need you to be courageous. I need you to tell me now." Dumbledore said.

"Cedric and I grabbed the Cup at the same time because we thought we both deserved to win. I suggested we both take it. The Cup took us to a graveyard." Harry said. "Wormtail appeared carrying Voldemort and Voldemort killed Cedric."

Katherine let out a small wail. She couldn't stop the tears now. They fell freely now.

She barely heard the rest of what Harry was saying, but Sirius would interject with an oath every now and again.

"Why did the wands connect?" Sirius asked.

"_Priori Incantatem._" Dumbledore muttered. "The Reverse Spell effect. Harry's and Voldemort's wands share the same phoenix feather core from Falkes. The wands are brothers and will not fight against each other. If the owners force it to, one of the wands will force the other to regurgitate spells it has performed.

"Some form of Cedric appeared, right?" Dumbledore asked Harry.

"Diggory came back to life?" Sirius said. Katherine moaned and put her face in her hands.

"No spell can reawaken the dead," Dumbledore said handing Katherine a handkerchief. "It would have created an echo. A shadow of a living Cedric would have emerged. Am I right, Harry?"

"And then Cedric was telling me to take his body back, to tell Katherine that he loves her." Harry said. Katherine's shoulders were shaking with silent sobs.

"I am guessing other forms appeared." Dumbledore said.

"An old man and Bertha Jorkins." Harry said as his throat started to constrict. "And . . ."

"Your parents?" Dumbledore said.

"Yes," Harry murmured. Falkes cried onto Harry's leg and fixed it.

Harry went on to tell how the echoes guarded him from Voldemort. Harry looked around at Sirius and Katherine, who both had their faces in their hands.

"You have been very brave tonight, Harry." Dumbledore said. "I will take you to the hospital wing and give you a Sleeping Potion. Sirius, would you like to stay with him?"

Sirius stood up and nodded. He turned back into the large black dog. Harry got up and lifted Katherine to a standing position. He put his arm around her and she rested her head against his shoulder. They walked like that all the way to the hospital wing with Sirius and Dumbledore behind them.

When Dumbledore opened the door, Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Ron, and Hermione were demanding about where Harry and Katherine were from a harassed-looking Madam Pomfrey. Mrs. Weasley let out a muffled scream when she saw Harry and Katherine. Hermione ran over and hugged Katherine. Mrs. Weasley tried to do the same to Harry, but Dumbledore stepped between them.

"Molly," Dumbledore said. "Harry has been through an awful ordeal. He needs to rest. If ask that you do not question him until he is ready to answer."

Mrs. Weasley nodded with her very pale face.

"Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey said staring at the dog version of Sirius. "The dog?"

"This dog will be remaining with Harry for a little while." said Dumbledore. "He's very well trained."

After Dumbledore left, Madam Pomfrey led him to the nearest bed. Ron, Bill, Mrs. Weasley and Sirius settled themselves by his bed. Hermione looked like she wanted to go to him, but she didn't want to leave Katherine.

"Go." Katherine whispered so that only Hermione could hear. Hermione nodded and chose the seat closest to Harry.

"I'll be fine." Katherine heard Harry say to reassure everyone.

Once Katherine was sure everyone was watching Harry take his potion, she slipped out. Katherine found a passageway she had seen once on the Map and walked up it. She reached the end of the passageway and opened the door. She felt cold air hit her as she walked out onto the small balcony.

Katherine had been here once. When she was using the Map to create a profit, she saw the passageway and wanted to see if it was still functional. She hadn't been back since.

But now it seemed like the perfect place. It was high above the lake and no one was around. She was surrounded by an impenetrable darkness.

And Katherine did something that the Cruciatus Curse could never make her do; she screamed.

* * *

><p>Hermione looked up as Katherine glided into the hospital wing after being gone for too long. Hermione quickly went over to her. Katherine looked drained and completely exhausted, but Hermione knew that Katherine wouldn't sleep.<p>

"How's Harry?" Katherine asked weakly in a detached voice.

"He's sleeping." Hermione whispered.

"Good. He needs to sleep." Katherine said trying to smile, but faltering.

"You need to sleep." Hermione said. Katherine looked up and Hermione almost stepped away in surprise at the dead look in her eyes.

"I know." Katherine muttered in the same detached voice.

"It will make you feel better." Hermione regretted saying that the minute it came out. Katherine's green eyes went hard and her hands clenched. Hermione did step back this time.

"Don't lie, Hermione." Katherine said barely moving her mouth.

"Katherine," Hermione said softly and Katherine's eyes returned back to the dead look. "You need to sleep."

Katherine nodded and allowed Hermione led her to the bed next to Harry. Mrs. Weasley turned her seat around as Katherine laid down. Mrs. Weasley stroked Katherine's cheeks. More tears poured out of her eyes. It seemed like she would never stop crying.

"I'm sorry, Katherine." Mrs. Weasley said. Katherine's eyes closed as she sighed. Hermione had never seen her friend so defeated. Sirius still in his Animagus form came over and licked Katherine's hand. Hermione saw the ghost of a smile come on Katherine's face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. Katherine started to scratch Sirius's ears with her eyes looking at the ceiling with a puzzled look.

"Go to sleep, please." Hermione said. Katherine didn't move her gaze from the ceiling.

"It's not over yet." Katherine muttered and refused to close her eyes.

Harry woke up in a dreamy fog. He was so sleepy that he was pretty sure that if he didn't open his eyes, he would fall back asleep.

"They're going to wake him up."

"What are they yelling about? Did something else happen?"

Harry opened his eyes. Someone had taken his glasses off. He could see Bill and Mrs. Weasley who were on their feet.

"That's Fudge." She whispered. "Isn't that Minerva McGonagall? What can they possibly be arguing about?"

Harry could hear them, too.

"Regrettable, Minerva, but it had to be done." Cornelius Fudge said loudly.

"You should have not brought it into the castle!" Professor McGonagall yelled.

Harry heard the hospital wing doors burst open. Unnoticed by everyone, Harry sat up and put his glasses on. Fudge came striding in with McGonagall and Snape on his heels.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.

"He's not here, Minister." Mrs. Weasley said angrily. "May I remind you that this is a hospital wing?"

The door opened and Dumbledore came in.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked looking from Fudge to Professor McGonagall. "Why are you disturbing people? Minerva, I'm surprised. Did I not ask you to stand guard over Barty Crouch?"

"There is no need now! The Minister saw to that!" She shrieked.

Harry was flabbergasted to see Professor McGonagall lose control. Her hands were balled into fists and she was shaking in anger.

"When we told Mr. Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater who created all these events tonight," Snape said barely moving his lips. "He insisted upon bring a Dementor with him."

"The moment it entered the room," McGonagall screamed pointing at Fudge. "It came down and- and-"

Harry knew that the Dementor must have performed the Kiss on Crouch. He was worse than dead.

"It seems that he is no lost!" Fudge said defending himself. "He has been responsible for several deaths."

"But now he cannot give evidence that he did." Dumbledore said looking at Fudge harshly.

"Why he killed them?" Fudge blustered. "From what I've been told, he seems to think he did it on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

"Lord Voldemort _was_ giving him instructions." Dumbledore said; Fudge flinched at the name. "These deaths were all part of his plan. He has returned to power. Voldemort is back and restored to his body."

Fudge looked like Draco did when Hermione punched him in the face. He stumbled back dazed and blinking.

"You-Know-Who back? Preposterous." Fudge said a slight smile. "You . . . you can't seriously believe that?"

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup, he was taken straight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "He saw Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I can explain it to you in my office."

Fudge's curious smile remained on his face. "You are . . . um . . . prepared to take Harry's word, Dumbledore?"

"Always." Dumbledore said his were blazing.

"I suppose you have heard that he is not alright." Fudge said with the smile still on his face.

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge." Harry said causing everyone to start; they had not realized he was awake.

"And if I have?" Fudge said. "I hear curious things. A Parselmouth and having funny turns-"

"I assume you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing thanks to his scar?" Dumbledore said coolly.

"You admit it. Headaches? Nightmares? Hallucinations?" Fudge said quickly.

"Harry is as sane as you and I. That scar hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close or feeling murderous." Dumbledore explained.

"I have never heard of a scar acting as an alarm."

"Look, I saw Voldemort!" Harry yelled as he tried to get out of bed, but Mrs. Weasley forced him down. "I saw the Death Eaters! Lucius Malfoy! Crabbe! Goyle! Macnair!"

"You are repeating the names of those you were found innocent of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago!" Fudge said angrily. "The boy isn't trustworthy, Dumbledore."

"You fool!" Professor McGonagall cried. "Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths are not the work of a lunatic!"

"I see no evidence!" Fudge yelled. "You all are trying to start a panic! Are you bored after only thirteen years of peace?"

"Voldemort has returned." Dumbledore said. "And we must take precautions to prepare for his attack.

"I'll be kicked out of my office!" Fudge said. "But that's what you want, isn't it? You want my job!"

"Cornelius, I do not." Dumbledore said.

"Then why are you working against me?" Fudge asked.

"I only work against Lord Voldemort. If you do not agree with me, then we have no more to say to each other." Dumbledore said.

"You're all insane. Look, Diggory's death was an accident, but Potter is making up a story so that he doesn't get in trouble." Fudge said as he placed Harry's winnings on his bed.

Fudge started to walk to the door. Katherine jumped out of her bed and tried to attack Fudge. Bill and Ron grabbed her and held her back as Fudge disappeared.

"Let me go!" She yelled struggling. "Let me smash his bloody face into his fat neck! Insulting Harry! And Cedric-"

When she said his name, she stopped struggling and collapsed to her knees. She stared down at the tile and shook. Sirius came over to her and she buried her face into his fur.

Dumbledore started to instruct the adults around him. He sent Bill to Mr. Weasley at the Ministry. He sent Professor McGonagall to get Hagrid and Madame Maxine. He sent Madame Pomfrey to go take care of Winky.

Katherine let go of Sirius as he changed back into a human since Dumbledore asked him to. Dumbledore made him and Snape agree to a truce. Then he told Sirius to get the "old crowd."

"We'll see each other soon, Harry." Sirius told him smiling.

Katherine was still on her knees. Sirius went over to her and picked her up. He hugged her and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and Sirius put her back in bed. He transformed back into the big dog and left.

"Severus," Dumbledore said turning to Snape. "If you are ready . . ."

"I am." Snape said.

"Good luck." Dumbledore said as Snape left. Dumbledore instructed Harry to drink the rest of his potion before he left.

"Drink up, Harry. Dream about what you're going to do with your winnings." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I don't want it." Harry said. "It should have been Cedric's."

"It wasn't your fault." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I told him to take the Cup with me." Harry said.

Mrs. Weasley hugged him in such a way that he almost cried. It was like being hugged by a mother. There was a loud slamming noise and Mrs. Weasley and Harry broke apart. Hermione was holding something tight in her hands and she muttered an apology.

Harry turned his head to see Katherine looking at him.

"It's not your fault, Harry." She said. Her face started to grow dark, her green eyes looked stormy, her jaw clenched, her hands were balled up, and her entire body tensed in anger. "It's _His._"

* * *

><p>It was time for the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students to go home. Katherine hadn't smiled since that night nor had she laughed. She was with Fleur.<p>

"Bye, Katherine." Fleur said kissing both her cheeks. "It will be alright."

"I wish people would stop saying that because it's not." Katherine said. She shook hands with Krum and left.

As she walked into the Gryffindor Common Room, a cat followed her. Katherine sat down in an armchair. She was so glad that everyone was gone. She was so tired of everyone looking at her with pity.

Katherine was shaken out of her thoughts by the cat. It was sitting on the couch staring at her. The cat was sitting very stiffly.

Katherine got up and went to the window. She pushed it open and gazed out. Then she pretended to jump.

"Miss Peters!" A strict voice shrieked at her. Katherine turned around with a ghost of a look of amusement on her face.

"I don't like to be spied upon, Professor." Katherine said her tone colder than she intended it to be.

"We're all worried about you." Professor McGonagall said.

"I know." Katherine said.

"You should have come to the Leaving Feast." Professor McGonagall said. Katherine looked down at Cedric's ring; she never took it off.

"I couldn't face it." Katherine muttered. "I couldn't face it."

* * *

><p>On the train back home, Hermione showed them a beetle in a jar; Rita Skeeter. Hermione made a deal with the unregistered Animagus to not write for a year and Hermione wouldn't tell on her. Katherine saw Harry give Fred and George his money once the train had stopped in King's Cross.<p>

Katherine got off the train with Draco. Lucius and Narcissa were waiting for them. Lucius took Draco by the arm and Apparated home. Narcissa took Katherine's arm and led her to a bench.

Katherine and Narcissa sat like mirror images; backs straight, sitting on the edge of the seat, hands in lap, and ankles crossed. Katherine may not be a pure blood, but she behaved like one.

Narcissa reached over and grabbed Katherine's hand.

"I'm here. I'll help you deal with this." Narcissa promised.

For the first time since his death, Katherine smiled. It was a small smile, but, nonetheless, a smile.

"Thank you." Katherine said as the smile reached her green eyes.

_Now, now, I'm alone. Still dreaming of Paradise. Still saying that Paradise. Paradise! Paradise! This nearly was mine._

* * *

><p><strong>The last part are song lyrics from Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II's song, "This Nearly Was Mine" from the musical <em>South Pacific.<em> I do not own _South Pacific._**


	20. Chapter 20

**Minor recap: Katherine has been adopted by the Malfoys and she is considered as family to them and vice versa.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 20<em>

The week after school ended, Katherine was a hailstorm of emotions. She was upset that Cedric was gone. She felt like she had been ripped off from a happy future. She was tired of being depressed; she was always smiling and laughing and to not be doing so made her feel even worse. And she felt guilty that she no longer wanted to be upset over Cedric.

That morning, Katherine walked downstairs to the intimate dining room. A four person table took up most of the space the room. Lucius was reading the _Daily Prophet_. Draco sat down next to him shoveling down three times the normal amount of food; he's a growing boy. Narcissa sat across from her husband. She was frowning at the food as she pushed it around her plate. Katherine hesitated in the doorway and leaned against the doorframe because she felt faint.

"Katherine, are you feeling fine?" Narcissa asked looking worried. Katherine pushed herself of the door frame and sat down at the empty chair.

"Just hungry." Katherine muttered her voice nearly gone after hardly using it for a week. A house-elf brought her plate of beignets and a cup of coffee. When Katherine finished, she was covered in powdered sugar. Narcissa looked at his disapprovingly. Katherine smiled as she licked her fingers clean.

"Go wash." Narcissa instructed. Katherine flashed Narcissa a goofy, little kid smile before she went to the bathroom to wash her face and hands. She came back with the same goofy smile on her face and sat down.

"Narcissa," Katherine said with a very happy tone. "Can I go see Cedric?"

Narcissa dropped her fork. Draco looked up from his food looking surprised. Lucius put down the paper and stared at her with a quizzical face.

"What do you mean, darling?" Narcissa asked gently.

"I mean can I take the broom, fly to his house, and spend the afternoon with him?" Katherine said looking confused that her family would not understand this.

Lucius and Narcissa exchanged a look. Draco kept staring at Katherine.

"What do I still have powdered sugar on my face?" Katherine asked him.

Narcissa turned to her. "Darling, you can't."

"Why not?" Katherine asked getting angry.

"Because . . . because . . ." Narcissa swallowed trying to spit something out. Katherine turned and saw the _Daily Prophet._ She scanned the open page and saw an obituary for Cedric.

"Oh my." Katherine said her head fell into her hands. "Oh my."

"Honey," Narcissa said.

"I can't believe I forgot." Katherine murmured into her hands.

"Katherine," Narcissa started to say, but she seemed at a lost. Draco got up and put his arm around Katherine's shoulder.

"C'mon, some flying will do you good." Draco said. Katherine nodded and followed him outside. Draco handed her the black Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Katherine climbed on and flew as fast as she could. The wind slapping her face felt good and distracted her from that thing that was too painful to think about.

Draco made her act as Seeker against him. He released the Snitch and Katherine went after it. It was great to have her all of her energy focused on a single thought-consuming thing. All that mattered was catching the Snitch before Draco.

She flew vertically upward as the Snitch soared past her. She knew Draco was right on her tail, but she was going to get it. She knew it in every fiber of her being. The Snitch suddenly turned and nose dived. Katherine flipped her broom down and chased it. Gold and green were getting closer and closer. She heard her name, but she wasn't going to stop. She was determined to catch the little gold Snitch.

A few feet from the ground, her hand closed around the cold object and she pulled up. Instead of seeing the endless meadow they were playing in, she saw the Hogwarts Quidditch stadium stands. There was a handsome, tall, dark-haired boy clapping for her. Katherine's face broke out in big smile. She was filled with so much happiness. Katherine urged her broom forward towards the smiling boy.

But when she got to the spot, the stands and the boy disappeared and were replaced with the endless meadow. Katherine gaped and started to sputter something even she couldn't understand.

"OH! COME ON!" She yelled when she realized the trick.

* * *

><p>There was something cold on her forehead. Droplets of something cold and wet drizzled down her face. She scrunched up her face and wiped it. She opened her eyes to see Narcissa sitting and looking down at her.<p>

Katherine slowly began to figure out where she was. She was lying on something soft, probably her bed. It was her bed and she was under the covers. A wet cloth was on her forehead; that explained the cold droplets.

"Katherine, honey," Narcissa said stroking Katherine's cheek. Katherine closed her eyes as she tried to figure out what happened.

Katherine opened her eyes with a groan. "What happened?"

"You fainted, darling. Luckily, Draco caught you." Narcissa said gently, still stroking Katherine's cheek.

"I thought I saw Cedric," Katherine moaned again. "On the day . . . we met."

Narcissa froze. Katherine noticed and grabbed the hand that had stopped stroking her cheek. Narcissa looked at her.

"Are you sure?" Narcissa asked quietly.

"Yes." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>The days went on and Katherine wasn't getting better. She wasn't fainting anymore, but she wasn't sleeping. The nights were the scariest. Everyone was asleep and she felt bad about waking anyone up. But the dreams were the awful part.<p>

Katherine felt weak even admitting that she was scared of her dreams, but these dreams were filled happy memories of her and Cedric. Not nightmares. She wasn't reliving the night he died. She was like a balloon being filled with happiness, only to be popped in the morning.

After saying goodnight to Narcissa, Katherine would lie awake, waiting to see what she would dream about. After reliving a memory, she would wake up in despair. She would then go to her bookshelf, pick one out, sit in the armchair by the window, and read until morning. When she heard Narcissa coming, she would dive into bed and pretend to have slept all night.

No need to worry her mother.

* * *

><p>Narcissa sat up in her bed. Lucius was reading a book and holding her hand. His thumb rubbed the back of her hand soothingly. Narcissa was consumed by thoughts of Katherine.<p>

The girl had bags under eyes, she looked exhausted all the time, she either had her nose in a book or she was writing something, and she was losing weight. It wasn't so obvious before, but Narcissa noticed that many of Katherine's shirts were too big for her, when before they had been the perfect size.

Katherine had become quiet and closed off, which scared Narcissa more than anything else. The Manor felt empty without Katherine's laughing, smiling, and joking.

Narcissa wanted her daughter back.

"Go to sleep, Cissy." Lucius said closing his book. Narcissa laid back and curled up with her husband. He gently put his hand onto of the one she put over his heart. His other arm wrapped around and pulled her in tighter. Narcissa fell asleep.

The screaming awoke her with a start. Confused, she thought it was her, but she hadn't woken up screaming since Draco was born. Lucius was completely awake. They looked at each other, and then ran out of the bedroom.

They burst into Katherine's room to see their beloved daughter screaming and thrashing madly. Narcissa ran to the bedside. Katherine was screaming like she was on the rack and about to lose all her limbs. The brown haired girl tossed, turned, and twisted herself in her bed sheets. She was so pale her scar was glowing bright red. Her hands were gripping the mattress in a death grip.

"Katherine! Katherine! Katherine!" Narcissa yelled over the screaming as she shook her daughter. Katherine seemed like she was locked inside her dreams with no way to wake up until it was over.

Narcissa shook and yelled and begged Katherine to wake up. Lucius stood in the corner bemused as to what to do. Narcissa, in desperation, slapped Katherine. But this did nothing, except leave a red handprint on her daughter's cheek.

"Stop screaming. Please, stop." Narcissa muttered.

Suddenly, Katherine's mouth closed and silence reigned. Narcissa looked surprised as Katherine stopped thrashing and started to sleep peacefully. Lucius put his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"Let's go back to bed." Lucius said.

"No," Narcissa shook her head. "I'm staying with her until she wakes up."

That wasn't the last night of the screaming; it was the first of too many.

* * *

><p>It had been a month and three days since school had ended. Both mother and daughter had given up on trying to get a good night's rest. Either Katherine would scream at the nightmare she couldn't wake up from and Narcissa would stay with her until she woke up, or Katherine would read all night long just to distract herself from the pain.<p>

The family was eating breakfast. Narcissa whispered something to Lucius, who looked like he was about to argue, but his wife gave him the famous Black look and he consented.

"Katherine," Lucius said, Katherine looked up from the food she was pushing around. "Would you like to come to the Ministry with me?"

"Why?" Katherine asked with a hollow voice.

"Cedric's body is still there. They haven't put it in the grave because they don't want it to be used as a site for Potter and Dumbledore to raise awareness about the Dark Lord." Lucius answered. The only words that registered with her were "Cedric's body."

"I'll go." Katherine said quietly.

She barely heard Lucius say to Narcissa, "You better hope this works."

A half hour later, she and Lucius arrived in the Ministry of Magic through Floo Network. At the end of the black tiled hallway was a giant fountain with the statue of a wizard, a witch, a centaur, a house-elf, and a goblin. There were some glittering coins in the water. Katherine walked with her back straight and her head held up high. They walked into an elevator and went to the Minister's office.

Cornelius Fudge waited outside his office for them. Katherine dimly recalled how she tried to beat him after he insulted Harry and Cedric. Fudge, however, beamed at them and kissed her hand in greeting. Katherine then noticed two other people with Fudge.

"Lucius, this is Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary."Fudge said as he motioned at a small, stout witch dressed in pink. She raised her hand to Lucius and he seemed rather reluctant to kiss the stubby fingers, but he did. Umbridge nodded to Katherine who barely inclined her head.

"And this is Percy Weasley, Junior Undersecretary." Fudge motioned to the tall, red haired, strict faced young wizard next to him. Lucius's lip curled.

"How's your father?" Lucius asked almost mockingly. Percy's mouth turned downwards.

"I do not know. I do not live with my family anymore, Mr. Malfoy." Percy said. Katherine was about to question him further, but Lucius stopped her by touching her hand.

"Weasley, take Miss Peters to Diggory." Fudge said. Percy beckoned Katherine to follow him.

"I'll come and get you when my business is concluded with the Minister." Lucius said. Katherine nodded in understanding. Katherine walked off with Percy through the twists and turns of the Ministry.

"What happened, Percy?"Katherine asked as they walked side by side. She felt him turn to look at him, but she kept her focus straight ahead.

"I do not know what you are talking about." Percy said his jaw set as he swung his head forward.

"I think you do." Katherine said still not looking at him.

"Here we are." Percy said ignoring her. He opened the door to a small room with an open coffin resting on a table. Katherine walked in and Percy shut the door behind her.

Once Katherine was alone, her facade broke apart. She started shaking and wrapped her arms around herself. The tears fell from her eyes and glided down her cheek.

_C'mon, Peters. You can do this._ Katherine told herself. She took a few shaky steps forward and closed the distance between her and the coffin.

Katherine was shocked to find Cedric in perfect condition. Then she remembered that they used a spell to keep him from decaying.

Someone had closed his eyes and for that Katherine was grateful; she didn't think she could handle seeing the blank look in his gray eyes. His face still had the slightly surprised look. His dark hair was the perfect combination of tousled and combed. He was so handsome.

"Hey, Cedric." She whispered the tears silently falling down and felt a lump growing in her throat. "I got your message. . . . I love you, too. . . . I-I-I miss you . . . a lot."

Katherine closed her eyes as shallow breaths left her. She gripped the edge of the coffin in order to keep herself steady.

"I still have your ring, Cedric." She whispered. "I haven't taken it off. I tried to give it back to your parents, but they wouldn't take it."

She looked down at him and imagined him rolling his eyes while smiling. Katherine's lips pulled into a smile.

"I know." She sighed. "Harry's got this stupid idea that it's his fault."

Katherine paused as if listening to his response.

"That's what I told him!" Katherine said throwing her hands in the air. "He can't be happy unless he's a martyr."

Katherine's face turned into a scowl.

"Don't tell what I can or can't call him, Diggory." Katherine said warningly, but she couldn't stay serious for long and she started smiling.

This continued for the rest of the day.

Katherine looked up when she heard footsteps. "They're coming. I have to go now. . . . I love you."

Lucius came in and put his hand on her elbow to lead her out. They walked rather quickly through the Ministry. When they reached the fountain, a voiced called Lucius. They stopped and Katherine turned around to see the Minister.

"Lucius," The Minister said trying to catch his breath. "Lucius, you win."

A faint smile tugged at Lucius's lips.

"Can we discuss it back in my office?" Fudge asked. Lucius nodded before turning to his daughter.

"Wait here for me. I shouldn't be long." Lucius said. Katherine nodded as he walked off. Katherine scanned the crowd of witches and wizards. A red haired man caught her eye. She went after him and caught his arm. The man turned and a faint sign of recognition was in his eyes.

"Mr. Weasley, I don't know if you remember me, I'm-" Katherine started to say.

"Katherine Peters. How are you?" Mr. Weasley said smiling as he shook her hand.

"I need to see," Katherine searched her brain for someone who was feeling as bad as her, who was feeling as alone as her, who was feeling as guilty as her. "Harry. I need to see Harry."

Mr. Weasley's eyes softened and he lowered his voice. "Meet me outside in five minutes."

Katherine turned around and went back to the fountain. She pretended to be studying the architectural merit of it, but she was really keeping an eye out for Lucius.

At five minutes, she went outside. Mr. Weasley was waiting for her. He beckoned for her to follow him. The next thing she knew, he grabbed her arm and they Apparated.

They appeared in front of a house. Mr. Weasley led her inside. Katherine followed him through a narrow hallway.

"Hello, Molly. I've brought something home with me." Mr. Weasley said to his wife as he moved to the side. Katherine saw a huge group of witches and wizards. She waved to Sirius, Remus, and Professor McGonagall. Mrs. Weasley hugged her.

"Katherine, how are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Katherine flashed her a smile.

"Harry around?" Katherine asked, ignoring that question because it would take too long to answer.

"He just got here. Up the stairs, first door on the left." Mrs. Weasley answered. Katherine smiled again and went upstairs.

Katherine reached a room where Ron, Hermione, and Harry were inside. None of them were looking at the door. Katherine leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms and legs.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Patronous Potter. Can't even go on vacation without having some adventure." Katherine drawled doing a perfect imitation of Draco. Hermione and Ron looked up and smiled with her.

* * *

><p>Harry was shocked. Katherine must be going through the most horrible summer ever, and yet she's laughing and joking. Hermione was congratulating Katherine on her imitation. Katherine beamed and bowed.<p>

Harry saw Katherine shoot Hermione a look. Harry didn't understand what it was about because it was in Girl. Hermione nodded and turned to Ron.

"Ron, let's go see what your brothers are up to." Hermione said.

"I don't wan-" Ron didn't get to complete his sentence because Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room. She closed the door behind her.

Harry sat down on the bed and looked at Katherine who was standing by the door. He saw her swallow before she walked over and sat on the bed with him.

"How are you?" Katherine asked after a moment of silence. Harry was tempted to answer fine, but he knew Katherine wanted to know the truth. He wanted to tell her the truth.

"Not good." Harry turn his head to her to answer. "I was cut off from everything for a month."

Harry felt his anger rising. Instead of turning away like he expected, Katherine stared at him straight on.

"I had no idea what was going on." Harry continued with his tone getting more frustrated.

"Voldemort hasn't done anything, Harry." Katherine said looking worriedly at him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Harry asked. Katherine raised her eyebrows.

"What's wrong, Harry?" She said in what Harry considered to be a patronizing voice. He jumped up and stared down at her.

"You believe what the _Prophet _has been saying, don't you?" Harry yelled. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Harry, I believe that you're insane and Cedric just decided to drop dead." Katherine said sarcastically.

"Don't patronize me." Harry threatened through gritted teeth.

"I'm not patronizing you. Harry, listen to yourself. Now, sit down. I want to talk to you." Katherine said calmly. Harry stood for a moment, and then he sat down.

"How are you?" Harry asked. Katherine looked down at her hands as she played with them in her lap. Harry saw water start to collect in her eyes.

_Oh, please don't cry. _He thought horrified.

Katherine looked up at him and must have seen his expression because her tears dried up.

"I want to talk about-" Katherine stared to say.

"No." Harry said his expression becoming hard. Katherine narrowed her eyes.

"No?" She repeated.

"I don't want to talk about Cedric." He said getting up. Katherine caught his hand and felt his heart flutter.

"Harry, please. I need someone who understands." Katherine said to his back. Harry turned around. He looked at Katherine. She was thinner than usual, she had bags under her eyes, and she looked completely exhausted.

"I don't want to talk about it." Harry said looking down at the hand Katherine had trapped in her own.

"Harry," Katherine said.

"I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Harry yelled ripping his hand from hers. Katherine stood up and looked at him in the eye.

"Don't yell at me, Potter." She said warningly.

"I'LL YELL AT ANYONE WHO'D RATHER HAVE ME DEAD!" Harry yelled. Katherine flinched and then drew herself up which made her talker than him.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL MADE YOU SAY THAT?" Katherine yelled into his face.

"YOU! ALL YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS CEDRIC! WHAT ABOUT ME? WHAT ABOUT WHAT I WENT THROUGH?"

"WHAT ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH? ARE WE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ME?"

"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN GOING THROUGH?"

"THE DEATH OF CEDRIC! THE DEATH OF THE BOY I LOVE!"

"I KNOW THAT! DO YOU WANT HIM BACK?"

"YES!"

"DO YOU REALIZE THAT VOLDEMORT WASN'T GOING TO LET EITHER OF US LIVE?"

"OF COURSE I DO!"

"THEN YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS EITHER CEDRIC OR ME! WHO D'YOU WANT TO COME BACK?"

"BOTH OF YOU!"

"LIAR!"

"Liar?" Katherine repeated no longer yelling.

"LIAR!" Harry yelled again. "YOU WANT ME DEAD IF IT MEANS CEDRIC'S ALIVE!"

"HOW THICK CAN YOU GET? I CARE ABOUT YOU, TOO, HARRY!"

"NOT ENOUGH!

"YOU'RE THE BIGGEST IDIOT IN THE WORLD IF THINK I WANT YOU DEAD!"

"BUT YOU DO! ALL YOU WANT IS PRETTY BOY DIGGORY! HE'S ALL YOU CARE ABOUT!" Harry screamed. Katherine flinched like she had been slapped. She stared at him, and then walked towards the door. She turned to look at him.

"If you truly believe that, Harry, then we have no more to say to each other."

* * *

><p>Katherine walked out the door feeling worse than she had before. Katherine looked to see Hermione watching her from the next room.<p>

"Katherine?" Hermione asked looking worried for her friend. Katherine saw that her argument with Harry was distressing Hermione. Katherine smiled reassuringly. She couldn't have Hermione be upset over her.

"It's alright, Hermione. I'm going to go home now." Katherine said still smiling.

"But you just got here." Hermione protested.

"I know, but you'll see me soon." Katherine promised smiling. She went down the stairs to see most of the witches and wizards leaving. McGonagall saw her and walked over to her.

"I trust you've completed all of your homework, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said. Katherine threw her a sheepish smile.

"Um, yeah." Katherine said. Professor McGonagall looked her concerned.

"Are you fine, Miss Peters?" McGonagall asked.

"I'm fine." Katherine answered. "I was actually about to leave-"

"No, you're not." Mrs. Weasley said coming over to them. "You need a proper meal; you look like you haven't eaten in days."

Katherine looked away embarrassed that Mrs. Weasley guessed correctly. Katherine composed herself and smiled at Mrs. Weasley.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley, but I really should be going." Katherine said, but then she was tackled by two red haired boys who just Apparated down the stairs.

"Is this speckled git trying to leave?" Fred asked sitting on Katherine with George.

"Get off me, you loons." Katherine said.

"You heard the lady, Fred." George said.

"But should we listen, George?" Fred asked.

"If you want to remain Fred and George, you will." Katherine threatened. The twins laughed.

"You have to stay for dinner, Katie." Fred said.

"Don't call me Katie, Fred. It's Katherine." Katherine said.

"Oh? No nicknames for Katie-Waitie." George teased.

"Fred and George, get off her." Mrs. Weasley said.

"But, mum, she didn't say she'll stay for dinner." Fred protested.

"Looks like you're going to be down there forever, Katherine." Lupin teased. Katherine looked up at him, threatening him with her green eyes.

"Shut it, Remus." Katherine said as she saw Sirius come into view. "Sirius, get these twits off me!"

Sirius kneeled down to her level and smiled at her.

"You know how to get them off you." Sirius said mockingly patronizing her.

"Fine, fine. I'll stay for dinner, but if I'm missing my buttocks because the Malfoys get mad at me, it's all your faults!" Katherine said pointing at all of them. Everyone laughed as Fred and George helped her up.

Professor McGonagall joined the crowd that was leaving. Katherine walked into the kitchen and sat down at the end of the table by Sirius. A tall bald African wizard, a pink haired young witch, the Weasleys minus Percy and Charlie, Hermione, Lupin, a wizard that looked like a pile of rags, and Harry joined Katherine and Sirius at the table.

"Do you know everyone, Katherine?" Lupin asked as dinner was being served.

"Not everyone." Katherine said. Lupin waved to the bald African wizard.

"This is Kingsley Shacklebolt, an Auror." Lupin said. Katherine and Kingsley nodded to each other in greeting. Lupin gestured to the pile of rags.

"That is Mundungus Fletcher. You can call him Dung, though." Lupin said as Mundungus waved lazily at her. Lupin turned to the pink-haired witch.

"And this is Nymphadora-"

"Don't call me Nymphadora!" She exclaimed. "It's Tonks."

"-Tonks, who prefers to be referred to by her surname." Lupin finished as if she hadn't spoken.

"You would, too, if your mother named you Nymphadora." Tonks grumbled. Katherine turned to her and smiled.

"I like Nymphadora. It's fun to say like Tsarevich." Katherine said rolling the r. As everyone laughed, Katherine paled and a shadow crossed her face.

She froze as she remembered that day. For a moment, she felt the comfortable seat of the Quidditch World Cup stadium, she heard the cheers, she smelled the excitement, and she saw the handsome dark-haired boy who sat next to her.

She smiled dreamily as she remembered the way he looked at her; so kindly, so sweet, so happy. She didn't notice everyone stopped laughing. She didn't notice everyone staring at her strange smile. She didn't notice everyone giving each other looks.

But she did notice the weight of a hand placing itself on her arm. She looked to see Sirius bringing her back to the reality. Bringing her back to the pain.

* * *

><p>Harry saw the expression on Katherine's face when she said Tsarevich. He saw the pain claim her face. He was shocked when her face broke out in a weird, far off smile. He saw her leave them and go to some place that he assumed -hoped- was better.<p>

It was painful watching her. He knew she was dealing with emotional pain, but he also knew that she would never show it. She would remain strong until there was no one around to see.

Harry remembered when Katherine darted between him and Barty Crouch Jr., despite having seen Cedric's body moments before. He remembered how strong she had been then. How she refused to fall, to cry out in pain, to let Crouch touch him.

_She's truly wonderful, isn't she?_ He asked himself. He looked down to hide his small smile.

Harry knew it was fruitless to try to make their relationship more than friendship. Katherine was too hurt about Cedric to be looking for someone else. Also, she was mad at him. He noticed that during dinner she refused to look at him, even though he was seated right across from. When she did, she would let her eyes graze over him or stare past him.

Harry watched as Katherine and Sirius whispered, heads close, like conspirators. He noticed that her plate was untouched. He enjoyed looking at her. He noticed how her hair was not one shade of brown, but many different colors layering from very light to medium. He saw as her hand carefully brushed her bangs to her particular way of keeping it; swept to the left. Her green eyes were beautiful. Even seeing just the side of it was making his heart race. His eyes travelled down to her lips. He imagined how great it would be to kiss them.

* * *

><p>Katherine and Sirius abruptly stopped talking when Mrs. Weasley started to clear away the dishes. Katherine felt Harry's eyes on her, but she wasn't going to acknowledge him. The stupid bastard could go hang himself for all she cared. How dare he say that she doesn't care. Stupid bastard.<p>

"What is this place?" Harry asked. Katherine pointedly refused to look at him.

"My house," Sirius responded seeming rather dejected about it. "I grew up here. Since the Ministry's still after me and Voldemort most likely know about my Animagus form, I haven't been able to do anything useful. The best thing I could do for the Order is give them my house as headquarters."

"The Order?" Harry asked with Katherine still not looking at him.

"The Order of the Phoenix." Sirius explained. "When Voldemort first rose to power, Dumbledore created the Order to fight against him. Now that he's back, we've assembled again."

"What's Voldemort doing?" Harry asked.

"No!" Mrs. Weasley interjected. "He's just a boy, Sirius. He doesn't need to know about it."

"I disagree." Harry said starting to get angry. "I was the one who saw Voldemort come back! I was the one who lost his parents to Voldemort! I was the one who saw Cedric Diggory die!"

Katherine paled and she clenched the edge of the table to keep herself from shaking. She felt Harry look at her and she turned to stare at him. His eyes were full of concern, but hers were full of anger and vexation. Katherine gained control over herself and looked away from him.

"Sirius, if you tell him anything, you might as well let him join the Order." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Good. I want to join." Harry said. Sirius winked at him.

"Molly, it can't hurt to tell Harry one thing. After all, it's thanks to him that he know Voldemort is back." Lupin said playing the mediator.

"Fine, but Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Katherine have to leave." Mrs. Weasley said. Fred and George started protesting that they were of age now. Ron and Ginny were demanding that if Harry got to stay so did they.

"FINE!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. "GINNY, GO TO BED!"

Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but her mother gave her look. Ginny got up and stomped the entire way up to her room. Mrs. Black's portrait started screaming again. Lupin went to shut her up and he returned a few moments later.

"We believe that Voldemort is after a weapon." Sirius said. "Something he didn't have last time. We-"

"Enough." Mrs. Weasley said as she looked at Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Katherine. "All of you in bed now."

They all got up and walked through the door. Katherine was at the back of the group, and once they went through the door, she closed it behind them. She wanted a word with the Order. Katherine sat down at where Harry had.

"I want to join." Katherine said. Sirius smiled behind his hand.

"You're not of age." Lupin said.

"I've done more than half the wizards who are of age." Katherine stated fiercely.

"But there are dangers like you've never seen." Lupin told her.

"Oh, really?" Katherine raised her eyebrows. "Have you faced a giant three-headed dog, or fell into Devil's Snare, or was attacked by enchanted keys, or survived a giant wizard chess game, or had to figure out which potion would take you onward, or faced Voldemort, or went down into the Chamber of Secrets, or fought off Dementors when you were thirteen, or saved a man from the Kiss, or took the Cruciatus Curse three times without screaming or falling in pain? Have you?"

"We'll admit that you've done many dangerous things-" Lupin started to say.

"Then let me join! I can take care of myself and others! I don't fear Voldemort! I don't fear his mission!" Katherine said gathering steam.

"You're not of age." Lupin said again.

"Oh, perhaps someone should have told Quirrell that when he fired that curse at Harry! The one I took and gave me this!" Katherine said pointing to her scar.

"Katherine." Mrs. Weasley said warningly. "You're too young."

"You're not my mother, Mrs. Weasley. You can't make my decisions for me." Katherine said harsher than she intended.

"Well, what would your mother say?" Mrs. Weasley challenged.

"You seem to believe that I intend to tell her." Katherine said staring down Mrs. Weasley.

"Katherine, you're not joining the Order." Lupin said final. Katherine realized the battle was lost. She stood up and went to the door.

"This seems to be a waste of a visit then." Katherine said opening the door. "Owl me with the results of Harry's hearing, will you?"

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Home." Katherine answered.

"Why don't you stay the night? Arthur can take you down to the Ministry in the morning and you can Floo home." Mrs. Weasley suggested. Katherine smiled at her in amusement.

"You really don't want me to have any buttocks, don't you?" Katherine smirked.

"It's too dangerous to roam around at night and you look like you need a good night's rest." Mrs. Weasley said ending the discussion. Katherine raised her hands in surrender, still smiling. Mrs. Weasley led her to the room Hermione and Ginny were sharing. There was a cot set up.

"How d'you know I was going to stay?" Katherine whispered.

"Motherly intuition." Mrs. Weasley smiled before pushing her in and closing the door behind her.

"Katherine?" Hermione asked resting on her elbows. Katherine smiled at her.

"Good night, Hermione." Katherine said lying down on the cot.

"Katherine, are you alright?" Hermione asked. Katherine thought for a second about breaking down, but she refused to. She hated to feel vulnerable and she did not want anyone to see her weak.

"I'm fine. You should go to sleep." Katherine said. Hermione looked at her, and then complied.

Katherine waited for about an hour before getting out of the bed. She had pretended to be asleep, so that Hermione would go to sleep. Katherine refused to go to sleep. She didn't want to risk the chance that she would wake everyone, including Mrs. Black's portrait, with her screaming. Katherine decided to go find the library and pick a book to read for the rest of the night.

Katherine tip toed down the stairs. She opened the first door she found. She closed the door behind her, turned on the lights, and was pounced on by a big black dog. The dog rested its forepaws on her shoulders, pinning her down as the dog licked her face joyfully.

"Sirius!" Katherine giggled. "Get off me!"

Sirius licked her once more before getting off of her. Katherine used her shirt to wipe her face. Sirius transformed back into his human form. He helped her back to her feet. She slapped his arm lightly.

"You know I hate dog slobber!" Katherine said.

"All the more reason to." Sirius said laughing. They stood a moment in silence. Sirius looked at her with concern.

"You can't sleep either." He stated.

"I can't, but my reason is obvious. What's yours?" Katherine asked. Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"Sometimes, I think that I'm back in Azkaban and dreams only make that worse." Sirius said quietly.

"You won't go back there, you know. They'll find Wormtail soon enough and you'll be free." Katherine said soothingly.

"I know." Sirius said, his face brightening. In the moment that followed, Katherine surveyed the room she was in. A tapestry hung on the wall and pictures of people with names written in gold in the form of a family tree.

"The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. _Toujours Pur_." Katherine said reading the top of the tapestry.

"My family tree." Sirius said bitterly. Katherine scanned the bottom of it.

"You're not there." Katherine said. Sirius placed his finger on a burnt piece of the tapestry.

"My mother did that, when I ran away." Sirius said.

"Why d'you run away?" Katherine asked.

"My parents were pureblood fanatics. I could not take it anymore. I wasn't like them. I hated them. When I was sixteen, I left and stayed with the Potters." Sirius said smiling at a memory.

Sirius ran his finger up the tree. "My cousin, Bellatrix. She married a Lestrange. She's in Azkaban now."

Katherine grounded her teeth in anger. Sirius placed his finger on the burnt hole next to Bellatrix.

"Andromeda, my favorite cousin. She married a Muggleborn named Ted Tonks." Sirius said.

"Tonks?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, she's Tonks' mother." Sirius answered. He placed his finger on the picture of a blond haired woman. "Narcissa."

Sirius looked down Narcissa's branch of the family tree. He jumped back in surprise.

"You're on here!" He said. Katherine started and looked to see her picture and her name in gold next to Draco's.

"What? I'm a half-blood! I'm not like them! I don't believe in their crap!" Katherine nearly yelled. Sirius put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Katherine stared at her picture. She didn't want to be on this tapestry. She didn't want anyone to mistake her as one of them. Katherine took out her wand.

"Can I blast myself off it?" Katherine asked still staring at the picture. Sirius chuckled.

"I don't think it works like that." Sirius said laughing.

"I'm going to do it, anyways." Katherine said.

"You can't-" Sirius said.

"I don't care about protocol." Katherine interrupted.

"It's not that." Sirius said smiling. "There's one at Malfoy Manor. The tapestries are linked and if Narcissa sees you've been blown off the tree, she'll know someone's here and the Order would be compromised."

"Fine." Katherine said frustrated as she put her wand away.

Katherine looked at the floor dejected. She started thinking about Cedric again. Sirius must have noticed because he pulled her into a quick hug. When he released her, he put his hands on her shoulders and peered at her.

"Everything will be alright." Sirius said. Katherine scoffed.

"Yeah, right." Katherine said sarcastically.

"If you have that attitude, it never will."


	21. Chapter 21

**Umbridge time. Personally, I like her, but that's because of the movie. I love her theme song. That's probably the only reason I keep watching the 5th movie; the music.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 21<em>

Needless to say, Katherine was grounded for the rest of the summer. Not that she really cared, though. She had no intention of leaving Malfoy Manor. The only reason she'd leave is to go to Grimmauld Place, but Harry was there and she had no intention of seeing him.

She was surprised when Harry had written her with the results of his hearing; he was cleared of all charges. She wrote back her congratulations, but that was weeks ago.

Katherine had tried to follow Sirius's advice, but she was finding it was very difficult. She spent her nights either reading or working out in the gym. It was oddly satisfying to beat her frustrations into a punching bag. She kept imagining that the bag was Voldemort's face being rammed down his throat. She started to obsess over him. She wanted to find his Achilles' heel and rip it out. She wanted to find what he loved and destroy it.

Katherine had gained muscle thanks to her nights it the gym. She had found some old fencing equipment and found that she liked it very much. Draco sometimes challenged her during the day, but he was no match for her. She spent too many long hours practicing every move over and over until she could perform them perfectly. Despite the muscle gain, she was skinner than before. She hardly ate. She ate enough to keep her stomach from growling.

During the night before school started, Katherine stayed in her bed. She knew that she needed to have some rest. Katherine was lying on her stomach, her head half buried in the pillow. She felt like someone was stroking her hair, while someone else was squeezing her hand when she flinched in pain. But her mind was probably playing tricks on her.

* * *

><p>Sirius accompanied them to King's Cross in his Animagus form. He was the happiest Harry had seen. Sirius was happy to be outside and not stuck in his dark, dreary house.<p>

Once Sirius said good-bye to him, Harry looked across Platform Nine and Three Quarters to see Katherine walking with Malfoy. The white blonde haired boy had a hand on her elbow and was touching her too protectively for Harry's liking. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked onto the train.

"Shall we find a compartment?" Harry asked trying to ignore the looks people were giving him. Hermione and Ron shifted uncomfortably.

"Actually, Harry, we have to go to the prefects' compartment." Hermione said.

"Oh, right." Harry said. Hermione and Ron left. Harry tried to find a compartment, but they were all full. Neville and Ginny caught up with him at one point and they ended up going into a compartment occupied by a blonde haired girl reading a magazine upside down. They introduced themselves to her and she told him that she was Luna Lovegood.

After some time, Neville took out a new plant he got. It looked like a gray cactus in a pot, but it was covered in boils not spikes.

"_Mimbulus mimbletonia_." Neville said proudly.

Harry stared at it as Neville pulled out a quill. He focused in concentration as he picked a spot. Neville poked the plant. The plant squirted liquid from every boil. It hit Luna's magazine, Ginny's arm, Neville got it hit in his face and torso, and Harry got a face full.

At that moment, the compartment door slid open. Harry looked up to see Katherine trying to hide a smirk.

"I'll come back later." She said. He could hear her laughing the entire time she walked back to where she came from.

Harry slapped himself on the forehead. He wanted Katherine to walk in seeing him with a bunch of cool people, laughing at some joke he just said. But no.

Ginny used a spell to clean up the spell. Harry ran out of the compartment and ran down the way Katherine came. He almost ran past her compartment. He stopped and looked inside.

Katherine was alone in the compartment with Malfoy. She was staring out the window while Malfoy was sitting so close that there was no space between them. Malfoy held her right hand in his and was rubbing it with his thumb. His lips were close to her ear as he whispered something to her.

Katherine turned around and his arms enveloped her. Harry watched as she laid her forehead against his chest. Malfoy rubbed her back and rested his cheek on her hair.

Harry's insides roared. He turned on his heel and marched away. He had no intention of staying and watching Katherine with Malfoy. Honestly? Malfoy? Really?

* * *

><p>Defense Against the Dark Arts started on the first day and the class was taught by Dolores Umbridge from the Ministry. Harry and Ron sat at a desk next to Hermione and Katherine. Lavender Brown and Parvarti Patil were sitting in the desk behind the girls.<p>

"I wished they'd lock up Potter or at least not let him return to school. I don't feel safe with a nutter." Lavender whispered to Parvarti. Katherine turned around and glared at Lavender.

"You could have stayed home. Hogwarts is a lot safer without gossiping idiots." Katherine sneered. Hermione made her turn back around.

Katherine looked at the pink cardigan wearing teacher sitting at her desk. Umbridge's eyes passed over her and darted back once the professor recognized her. Katherine looked down.

"Good afternoon!" Professor Umbridge said once everyone sat down. Some people muttered a reply.

"Tut, tut," Umbridge said. "Now, I want you to reply 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' Ready? Good afternoon, class!"

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." The class said. Katherine hid her behind her hand as she dissolved into silent giggles.

"A bit full of herself, isn't she?" Katherine muttered under her breath so only Hermione would hear. Hermione hid her smile.

"Now, wands away and quills out." Professor Umbridge ordered. Katherine's and Hermione's smiles disappeared and turned into frowns.

Umbridge took out a short wand and pointed it at the chalkboard. A piece of chalk was levitated and began to write on the board. The course aims were placed on the board.

"'Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic. Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used. Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.'" Katherine read quietly. "A load of crap, if you ask me."

Hermione and Katherine hid behind their hands again as they giggled silently. Umbridge ignored them.

"Do you have a copy of _Defensive Magic Theory_?" Umbridge asked.

"Yes, Professor Umbridge." Everyone said in monotone.

"Good. Read chapter one." Umbridge instructed as she sat down at her desk. "There will be no need to talk."

Katherine opened her book and read the first sentence. With a silent groan, she pulled out a novel. She hid the novel inside the book. Harry looked over at her. Katherine shrugged and shot him a look that said "I'm not reading this crap."

Katherine was engrossed in her novel for about five minutes before she realized Hermione wasn't reading and sitting with her hand in the air. Umbridge was refusing to look at Hermione.

"Hermione?" Katherine asked quietly. Hermione shook her head. Soon, Katherine wasn't the only one staring at Hermione. The book was so stupid and boring that the entire class was looking at her. After some time, Umbridge decided that she could no longer ignore her.

"Do you have a question about the chapter, dear?" Umbridge asked sweetly.

"No." Hermione answered tersely.

"If you have any questions not about the chapter we can discuss it after class." Umbridge said smiling creepily.

"I have a question about the course aims." Hermione said. Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrow.

"You are-?"

"Hermione Granger." Hermione answered.

"Well, Miss Granger, I believe the course aims are very clear." Umbridge said sweetly.

"Well, they're not." Hermione said bluntly. "There's nothing about using defensive spells."

"Why would you need to use defensive spells in my class?" Umbridge asked.

"We're not going to use magic?" Ron blurted out.

"Students will raise their hands in my class, Mr.-?" Umbridge said tersely.

"Weasley." Ron said throwing his hand into the air. Umbridge smiled and turned her back on Ron. Harry and Hermione thrusted their hands in the air. Umbridge looked at Harry for a moment.

"You have something to ask, Miss Granger?" Umbridge asked.

"Yes," Hermione said. "Isn't the whole point of this class to practice defensive spells?"

"Are you an expert, Miss Granger?" Umbridge asked.

"No, but-"

"Then, you are not qualified to decide what the point of this class is. People clever than you came up with this curriculum. You will be learning in a risk-free environment-"

"What's the use of that?" Harry interrupted loudly. "If someone attacks us, it won't be-"

"Hand, Mr. Potter!" Umbridge interjected sharply.

Harry raised his hand angrily. Umbridge turned away from him, but more people had their hands up.

"And you are?" Umbridge addressed Dean.

"Dean Thomas."

"And, Mr. Thomas?"

"It's like Harry said," Dean said. "Attacks aren't risk-free-"

"Do you expect to be attacked during class?" Umbridge asked raising her eyebrows.

"No, but-"

"It is the view of the Ministry!" Umbridge said talking over him. "That theory will be sufficient enough. And you are?" She added turning to Parvarti, whose hand was up.

"Parvati Patil. Isn't there a practical on the O.W.L.?"

"As long as you have studied the theory, there is no reason why you cannot perform the spells." Umbridge said dismissively. Katherine's face fell into her book as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"Shall we test that theory?" Katherine said to Hermione. "I'm pretty sure that if you study a Patronous hard enough, it should appear the minute you say _Expecto Patronum._"

Hermione fought to keep a smile off her face.

"What good's theory in the real world?" Harry said loudly, his hand waving in the air.

"This is school, not the real world." Umbridge said.

"Hermione, we don't exist at school!" Katherine said under her breath. Hermione shot her a look.

"Stop being funny. I'm trying to be serious." Hermione said quietly. Katherine smiled at her unaffected.

"We're not to be prepared for what's waiting?" Harry nearly yelled.

"There's nothing out there, Mr. Potter." Umbridge said.

"Oh really?" Harry said his temper starting to get the best of him.

"Who would want to attack children?" Professor Umbridge asked in a voice of expired honey.

"Um . . . _Lord Voldemort_?" Harry said.

Ron gasped and flinched. Lavender Brown screamed softly. Neville fell out of his seat. Umbridge did not flinch; she stared at Harry.

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Umbridge said.

The classroom was still. Katherine looked at Harry, while most of the class looked at Umbridge.

"Let me make a few things plain." Umbridge said leaning on her desk.

"You have been told that a Dark wizard has decided to no longer be dead and has returned-"

"He was never dead!" Harry said angrily. "And he's back!"

"You've-already-lost-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse!" Umbridge said in one breath. "As I was saying, you have heard that a Dark wizard is back again. _This is a lie._"

"IT IS NOT A LIE!" Harry shouted. "I FOUGHT HIM!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" Umbridge declared. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, _this is a lie._ The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger. If someone is telling you lies, come and see me. I will take care of it because I am your friend."

Katherine bit her lip to keep herself from laughing. She couldn't very well imagine her and Umbridge sitting and having tea while gossiping.

Professor Umbridge sat down at her desk again. Harry stood up. Everyone stared at him. Most of the students looked scared.

"Harry, no!" Hermione whispered. She tugged at his sleeve, but Harry jerked his arm away from her.

"So, Cedric Diggory dropped dead because he wanted to, did he?" Harry asked with his voice shaking.

Katherine sucked in all her breath. She paled and gripped the edge of the desk to steady herself. She looked at Umbridge, who no longer had a smile on her face.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a very tragic accident." Umbridge said. Anger flashed in Katherine's eyes.

"IT WAS MURDER!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs. "VOLDEMORT KILLED HIM! YOU KNOW THIS!"

Professor Umbridge kept a poker face going for a moment. For a second, she looked ready to scream. The she spoke in her sweetest voice, "Come here, deary."

Umbridge pulled out a roll of pink parchment and wrote something on it. She handed it to Harry with instructions to take it to Professor McGonagall. Harry stomped to his desk, grabbed his bag, and slammed the door as he left.

Umbridge leaned back in her chair with a triumphant smile. All the students were looking at her. She took a deep breath.

"Now, Mr. Potter has tried to lie to you about Diggory's death," Umbridge said. "It was an accident."

Katherine stood up in a fury, throwing her chair back. Umbridge raised an eyebrow at her.

"It was not." Katherine said through gritted teeth. "Cedric's too brilliant! Too amazing! Too intelligent! Too clever! Hell! He's got the best sense of direction I've ever seen! It wasn't an ACCIDENT!"

Umbridge smiled a cruel smile. "Miss Peters, I can see why you'd rather believe that Diggory's death was . . . ah . . . heroic. It must be very_ humiliating _to think that he died in an accident."

Katherine's green eyes narrowed in anger. Her hands turned into fists at her sides and started shaking violently. Katherine locked eyes with Umbridge.

Suddenly, the chalk exploded into a million particles. The class jumped back, but Umbridge didn't flinch. She and Katherine kept glaring at each other.

With a loud boom, the chalkboard exploded and sprayed those closest to it with splinters. The class jumped again, but Umbridge didn't move. She never broke eye contact with Umbridge.

And then the pink, frilly, silly bow on top of Umbridge's head exploded and she screamed like a banshee. Katherine smiled in a twisted way.

When Umbridge composed herself, she pulled out another roll of pink parchment. Katherine started to pack up her bag, so at the time when Umbridge called her to go take it to Professor McGonagall, she was completely ready.

When Professor McGonagall opened the door to her office to let Harry out, she saw Katherine leaning casually against the frame.

"Hello, Professor. Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" Katherine said smiling. Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes as she read Umbridge's note.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked. Katherine smiled amused.

"Well, the toad -I mean Umbridge- insulted Cedric and I kinda . . . blew up the chalk . . . and the chalkboard . . . and her bow."

Katherine smirked at the memory. Harry smiled. Professor McGonagall sighed annoyed.

"Well, Miss Peters, you have detention with Professor Umbridge Monday through Friday next week at five." Professor McGonagall announced.

"Okay. Wait, why not this week?" Katherine said, then she looked at Harry. "Oh. You've got this week, don't you?"

Harry nodded. Katherine smiled and laughed.

"We're Detention Buddies!" Katherine said laughing. Harry laughed along with her. Professor McGonagall gave her a look.

"Must you react to every situation with humor?" McGonagall asked.

"How else am I supposed to react?" Katherine countered. McGonagall sighed.

"Go to class, Mr. Potter." McGonagall dismissed Harry.

"Yeah, go away, Harry." Katherine said teasingly, waving her hands for him to go. Harry smiled as he left. Katherine and McGonagall sat down with professor's desk in between them.

"Miss Peters," McGonagall sighed. "I do not know how to explain this to you. I am not sure if politics interest you enough to pay attention."

"_Au contraire_," Katherine said. "I find politics to be very interesting."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Oh? Then I'll explain it to you. The Ministry may be misguided now, but very soon You-Know-Who-"

"Voldemort." Katherine interjected. McGonagall gave her a look.

"He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will make a mistake and reveal himself." Professor McGonagall said. "We must remain on good terms with the Ministry when this happens because 'A house divided-'"

"'Cannot stand.' I didn't know you quoted Americans, Professor." Katherine said.

"Sometimes they are right." McGonagall said. Katherine smiled. "But as I was saying, we must remain on relatively good terms with the Ministry. Therefore, you must not antagonize Professor Umbridge."

"Not even a little bit?" Katherine asked.

"Not even a little bit." McGonagall said. Katherine leaned back in her chair disappointed.

There was a moment where neither said anything. Katherine looked off to the side and was waiting to be dismissed.

"You believe that you can control yourself, right?" Professor McGonagall asked. Katherine heaved a sigh and looked down at her hands.

"If she doesn't insult Cedric, we'll be fine." Katherine said.

"I am sorry." Professor McGonagall said. Katherine fiddled with Cedric's ring.

"He gave me his ring before he went into the maze. He said that as long as I wore it, he would come back to me." Katherine's eyes started to fill with tears and her voice started cracking. "And he did. . . . He came back to me. . . . But he was dead."

Tears started spilling over. Professor McGonagall handed her a handkerchief. Katherine muttered a thank you. After a few moments, Katherine wiped the tears away. She smiled at the Transfiguration Professor as she got up.

"You should get some sleep, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said. "You can't stay awake forever."

Katherine crossed her arms and smirked. "Challenge accepted, Professor."

Katherine turned around and went to the door. Just when her hand touched the doorknob, something hit the back of her head. She turned around rubbing the spot. Professor McGonagall was tossing and catching a biscuit identical to the one on the floor.

"I mean, challenge denied, Professor." Katherine smiled.

_I swear she's like your protective aunt._ Cedric's voice echoed through her head.

* * *

><p><em>It was two days after the Yule Ball and a blanket of snow covered the school. Katherine spent Boxing Day sleeping because she was busy with Cedric all night. Today, the two lovebirds went out to the Quidditch pitch and flew around on their brooms. <em>

_"Alright, let's race." Cedric said. He had been trying all morning to beat her, but she had a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, and he didn't._

_"To where?" Katherine asked. Cedric took out his wand and drew a line in the air behind them._

_"There." He answered._

_"So, all we have to do is cross the line?" Katherine asked._

_"Yes." Cedric said. "Ready. Set. Go."_

_Katherine flipped her broom backwards. She stopped behind the line, and then she flew across it. _

_"I win!" She said. Cedric glared at her._

_"You cheated." He accused._

_"No, I didn't." Katherine said wide-eye. "You said that all we had to do was cross the line."_

_Katherine started laughing at the exasperated expression on Cedric's face. He looked at her and his gray eyes softened. He started laughing with her. _

_They flew down to the ground together. They dismounted their brooms and Cedric got a glint in his eye. He grabbed Katherine and pulled her to the ground._

_Katherine landed on her back in the fresh snow. Cedric pressed his body on top of her. She put her hand on his cheek with a content smile on her face. He turned his head so that he could kiss her hand. He kissed every part of her arm leading him down closer to her._

_Cedric pulled off her scarf and kissed her neck. Katherine tilted her head back as he moved up her neck. He lingered above her jawbone. His breath was warm and inviting. Katherine tilted her head down and raised herself up to meet his lips._

_Fireworks exploded into a million more as she ran her fingers through his hair. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. The heat between their bodies melted the snow around them._

_Suddenly, Cedric was ripped from her arms. Katherine opened her eyes and stretched out her arms to grab him. But a dark hooded figure was holding Cedric by the scruff of his neck. Cedric was hanging helpless above the ground. The hooded figure laughed a high cold laugh that chilled Katherine to the core. _

_Cedric locked eyes with her. His gray eyes were begging her not to look. He mouthed her name. _

_"_Avada Kedavra_." The hooded figure whispered gleefully._

_Cedric went limp. His gray eyes remained forever open. He had a slightly surprised look on his face._

_The hooded figure laughed and threw Cedric on top of her. She tried to push him off, but it was like his body was made of rocks. Katherine looked at eyes to see that they were gone. Maggots were crawling and streaming out of Cedric's empty eye sockets._

_Katherine leaned back, but the maggots were coming closer to her. She started thrashing about, but then it was like she was hit by a Full Body-Binding Curse. She was paralyzed and forced to look into those eyes._

_Vultures circled around the body egged on by the retch of death. One flew down and ripped Cedric's arm off. Katherine was covered in blood as it spurted out in unnatural amounts. Two birds of death gnawed off Cedric's legs. Three fought over his other arm as it was torn violently from his socket. Another storm of vultures charged down and left with Cedric's torso and his other leg._

_Katherine tried to get up, but Cedric's head was pinning her down. She grimaced as the maggots ate her boyfriend's skin. His hair that flowed so lovely from his head turned into worms that ate his brain._

_Katherine started thrashing again barely registering that she wasn't paralyzed anymore. _

_"Katherine! Katherine!" A voice was shouting her name, but it sounded miles away. Katherine became aware of the earth shaking her._

_"KATHERINE!" The voice yelled sounding right by her ear._

* * *

><p>Katherine opened her eyes to see a bushy haired girl looking down worriedly at her. Every part of Katherine's body was shaking violently. Her breathing was ragged and shallow. Katherine's eyes darted around wildly.<p>

She rolled over onto her side and pulled herself into a ball. She hide her face into her legs and covered her ears with her hands. As she shook, she was heard the muffled command of someone saying to go get Professor McGonagall.

Katherine was crying into her legs. She felt a hand rubbing her back. Katherine continued shivering and crying and covering her ears.

Soon, she felt her hands being pried away from her ears. Katherine pulled her head out from her knees to see the worried face of Professor McGonagall.

"This is why I don't sleep, Professor." Katherine smiled weakly.

Katherine looked past to see him. The air was shimmering a yard and a half away from the bed. She knew it was him.

_Go, Cedric. _Katherine thought pleadingly. _Don't . . . don't see me like this._

But he never left.

Madam Pomfrey came in and handed Katherine a dose of Sleeping Draught Potion. Katherine allowed herself to be unrolled out of her ball. Katherine's green eyes fluttered closed.

* * *

><p>When Katherine woke up, the dormitory was empty. Sunlight was streaming in from the west.<p>

_Wait, the west?_ Katherine raked her brain for some phrase she was taught. _The sun rises in the east and sets in the west._ _It's the afternoon._

Katherine looked at her watch and saw that classes would be ending soon. She groaned as she got out of bed. She got dressed and washed up. The bell rang and a few minutes later, Hermione walked in. Hermione kept her back to Katherine and she messed with her book bag.

"Oh good, you're awake." Hermione said as Katherine sat on her bed.

"I assume I missed today's classes." Katherine said stifling a yawn.

"Don't worry, I turned in your homework and picked up today's for you." Hermione said smiling.

"Oh, good. I was worried about that." Katherine said sarcastically.

"Well, you missed a day of classes and this year is O.W.L. year. You could have been trying to catch up for a month if it wasn't for me." Hermione said as she continued to fiddle with her bag.

"When Harry took the Draught, he was out for a couple of hours. I was out for a day. Why?" Katherine asked.

"Madam Pomfrey took one look at you and doubled the dosage." Hermione answered as she stood up and turned around. Katherine gasped as she saw the purple bruise on Hermione's cheek.

"Hermione, what happened?" Katherine asked closing the space between them as she tried to examine the bruise.

"Oh, nothing." Hermione said, her eyes darting to the ground. Katherine knew she was lying.

"Hermione," Katherine warned.

"It's nothing, Katherine." Hermione said was a false cheery smile.

"Hermione." Katherine said forcefully.

"It was an accident." Hermione said.

Katherine gave her a look and said "You'd better as hell tell me now."

"You were asleep and thrashing about. It wasn't your fault." Hermione said.

"I hit you?" Katherine asked as her jaw dropped to the floor.

"It was an accident." Hermione said trying to reassure her friend.

"Do you realize how much force it takes to give someone a bruise?" Katherine said looking at her hands as if they disgusted her.

"It doesn't hurt." Hermione said. Katherine's head shot up and she knew her friend was lying.

"I'm sorry."

"I told you it doesn't hurt."

"Not just for that," Katherine said frowning. "I'm sorry for scaring the crap out of you last night."

"You didn't." Hermione said.

"Don't lie."

* * *

><p><strong>Came up with the dream while I was about to go to sleep. Needless to say, my dreams were very weird after that.<strong>


	22. Chapter 22

**I was going to wait until MinervaWhite caught up before I published, but I decided not to. This one is long because I'm trying not to have 10 chapters for one book again. Also, I am adding scenes and want to know what you all think about that.**

_Chapter 22_

Ron made the Quidditch team as the new Keeper. He wasn't the best flyer, but the other two had problems. One even said she'd put Charms Club in front of Quidditch. Blasphemy.

It was the first Saturday of the term. Katherine had spent the rest of the week being on her best behavior, not because McGonagall told her to, but because of a letter Narcissa sent her. Narcissa had the gift of making Katherine feel guilty enough to want to almost apologize to Umbridge. Almost.

It was Saturday morning and the four were eating breakfast. The post came and a _Daily Prophet_ owl landed in front of Hermione. She skimmed through it and saw that there was nothing about Harry being a nutter or about Dumbledore being manipulative. She suddenly gasped. She flipped the paper towards them to show them a headline about Sirius Black being spotted in London.

"I knew it." Harry exclaimed in a whisper. "Lucius Malfoy did recognize him."

"He won't be able to leave the house again." Hermione said.

For a moment, there was complete silence as the four enjoyed their breakfast.

"Harry, would you mind playing Quidditch with me this morning before practice?" Ron asked. Hermione gave them both a look that said You-Have-A-Pile-Of-Homework-To-Do-You-Idiots.

"Sure." Harry said. "Katherine?"

Hermione gave her the same look. Katherine swallowed and smiled amused. "I think not. I don't want to leave Hermione alone with the homework."

The four went back to Gryffindor Tower. The boys got their brooms and left. The girls pulled out their bags and picked the comfiest spot on the couch. After an hour, Katherine fell asleep. Something hit her face and she jerked awake with her arms flailing about to protect herself. Hermione was laughing in the armchair she was sitting in.

"You can't fall asleep, Katherine." Hermione said smirking. Katherine found a wad of paper on her chest. She picked it up and bounced it off Hermione's face.

"What time is it?" Katherine groaned.

"Ten." Hermione answered. Katherine groaned again.

"I hate homework." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Quidditch practice was after lunch. Angelina was the new Captain and she was almost as fanatical as Wood. Unfortunately, Ron was having problem with his nerves and some Slytherins decided that it was their necessary duty to show up to the practice. Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson were the said Slytherins.<p>

The Gryffindors arranged themselves in a circle and started tossing around the Quaffle. Ron kept missing it and the Slytherins burst out laughing. After the twentieth drop, Pansy Parkinson shrieked with what Katherine assumed was laughter at something Draco said.

Annoyed, Katherine whipped her broom around and flew over to the laughing Slytherins. Katherine was hovering right next to them.

"Shut up, Parkinson." Katherine said through gritted teeth.

"Make me." Parkinson said.

Katherine grinned predatorily and leaned in closer to Parkinson. Suddenly, she whipped her head towards Draco and kissed him. Draco froze for a second, but then returned the kiss. Katherine broke away and smirked at Parkinson's agape mouth.

"Better close your mouth, Parkinson; there's enough flies in there." Katherine taunted as she flew away.

Katherine heard the start of a spell coming from Parkinson's mouth. Katherine pulled out her wand as she turned her broom around.

"_Protego._" Katherine said lazily.

Parkinson's spell bounced off the shield and returned to its castor. Parkinson screamed as she erupted into warts from head to toe. She ran screaming from the stadium. It was the Gryffindors' turn to burst out laughing. Fred and George were laughing so hard that they almost fell off their brooms.

After a very disastrous practice, Katherine was leaving the changing room to see Draco leaning against the building. When he saw her, his face broke out in a smile.

"Hey." He said still smiling.

"Hey." Katherine responded.

"So . . . about that kiss-"

"I was just trying to get Parkinson to shut up."

"So it didn't mean anything?" Draco asked smirking.

"It didn't mean a thing." Katherine said.

"You can't kiss me like that and have it not mean a thing." Draco protested while smirking.

"I can and I did." Katherine smiled coyly. "Good bye, Draco."

* * *

><p>That night, the four were attempting to do their homework. Well, Harry, Ron, and Katherine were doing the attempting while begging Hermione to help them. Needless to say, Hermione refused.<p>

It was getting close to midnight and the Common Room was empty except for the four. Hermione was still knitting her hats for the house elves to free them. Ron was still pleading with her to do his homework.

"Sirius!" Harry suddenly exclaimed as he fell to his knees before the fireplace. Katherine looked around him to see Sirius's head floating in the fireplace. Ron, Hermione, and Katherine joined him.

"Hey, I got your letter." Sirius smiled.

"I'll tell you later." Harry said as Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Alright, well, your scar is going to hurt more now that Voldemort's back." Sirius said. "So, the fact that you felt it in Umbridge's office doesn't mean that she's with Voldemort."

"But she's evil, Sirius." Harry protested. Sirius laughed a barking laugh.

"I know, Harry." Sirius said. "You should see some of the half breed laws she's created. Thanks to her, Remus hasn't been able to get a job."

"Sirius, she's not letting us use magic." Hermione said.

"That doesn't surprise me." Sirius said. "We believe that Fudge doesn't want you trained in magic. He thinks Dumbledore is trying to create an army."

"That's stupid." Harry said.

"I know." Sirius smiled. "So, when's your next Hogsmeade visit? I was thinking I could come up-"

"No!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed.

"Why?" Sirius asked.

"You were seen by Lucius Malfoy!" Harry said.

"Oh yeah," Sirius smiled a lopsided smile. "That was pretty funny. So, when's the next visit?"

"No." Hermione said.

"Harry?" Sirius asked.

"I don't want you to get caught." Harry said.

"Katherine?" Sirius asked. Katherine smiled slightly.

"Sirius, I'm all for you coming, but it's too risky." Katherine said. "Draco can identify you. I overheard Lucius telling him."

Sirius looked from Katherine to Harry. "I guess you're not your father. A little risk would have made it fun for James."

* * *

><p>Sirius left after he said that. Hermione decided to go to bed after telling Harry not to worry about Sirius. Soon after that, Ron gave up on his homework and went to bed. Katherine was sitting in the armchair writing her potions essay. Harry looked at her and felt his heart flutter. It was nearing one o'clock in the morning and Katherine didn't look like she was going to bed soon.<p>

"Katherine," Harry said, rousing Katherine from her essay. "When was the last time you slept?"

Katherine shrugged and returned back to her essay. Harry stood up and took her quill and parchment away. He placed those things on the small table as Katherine looked at him curiously. Harry grabbed her arm and led her to the couch. He sat down next to her and she laid her head against his shoulder. Soon, she was fast asleep.

Harry smiled as he slowly laid down on the couch with Katherine. She was curled into his right side. Harry pulled a blanket over them. He smiled contently.

Katherine started thrashing about. Harry wrapped his arms around her, but she kept tossing and turning. Harry tightened his grip to protect her, but she moaning. Harry used his hand to stroke his cheek. The effect was immediate; she relaxed and stopped freaking. Harry sighed in relief.

* * *

><p>When Harry woke up, Katherine was no longer curled into him and someone was stroking his hair. He opened his eyes to see that it was still dark outside and that Katherine was stroking his hair. She was standing behind the arm of the couch where he was resting his head. She was absent-mindly running her fingers through his bangs as she stared out the window. Harry closed his eyes because he did not want her to stop.<p>

Too soon, Katherine's hand stopped moving. Harry felt her sit down on the couch next to his hand. He barely opened his eyes, but saw she had her back to him as she stared out the window.

Katherine jumped when Harry softly ran his fingers down her arm, but she did not turn around.

"Did you sleep?" Harry asked quietly as he kept running his fingers down her arm.

Katherine nodded and whispered a "Yes."

"For how long?" Harry asked.

Katherine shrugged. "It's hard to tell, Harry."

"You were thrashing about." Harry said. Katherine turned around and scanned his face.

"Did I hit you?" She asked with her face in a worried expression.

"What? No." Harry said taken aback. Katherine sighed in relief.

Harry grabbed her arm and made her lie back down against him. Her head was resting on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her.

"You know, Draco held me like this once." Katherine said after a moment. Harry tensed and he could feel Katherine smirking.

"Oh?" He managed to say.

"Not like that, Harry." Katherine said smiling. "Narcissa and Lucius were at some function and weren't expected to get back until very late. I . . . I had a nightmare and . . . and I was screaming. Draco came running. He hugged me and I woke up. I ruined his best night shirt with my crying, but he held me all night long. He didn't come back after that. Narcissa never left the house at night after he told her. She knew it was her responsibility as my mother to help me."

"Did she help you?" Harry asked. Katherine sighed and closed her eyes.

"I don't know." Katherine said swallowing a lump in her throat. "Harry, I miss him so much."

Harry's arms tightened around her. He was wishing silently that she wouldn't cry; he didn't know what to do if she cried.

"Katherine," Harry said trying hard to resist the urge to run up the stairs and hide away from the tears he knew were coming.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I shouldn't be throwing this all on you." Katherine said. Harry relaxed once the danger seemed to have passed.

"So, how long did you really sleep?" Harry asked changing the subject.

"An hour." Katherine said.

"You should go back to sleep." Harry said.

Katherine didn't answer because she fell asleep again.

* * *

><p>Umbridge had been made The Hogwarts High Inquisitor. Basically, she could now evaluate teachers and fire them thanks to an Educational Decree the Minister created. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Harry got himself another round of detentions. This meant that he and Katherine were really Detention Buddies, since they were having detention together.<p>

Angelina Johnson went nuts when she found out. She tracked down Harry in the Great Hall and yelled at him so badly that Professor McGonagall descended upon them.

"Miss Johnson, we do not yell in the Great Hall. Five points from Gryffindor!" Professor McGonagall said.

"But, Professor, he's landed himself in detention again!" Angelina protested. Katherine smirked and Angelina turned on her. "And you're no better! How are we suppose to have practice without a Chaser and a Seeker?"

"I didn't ask for the detention." Katherine said smiling.

"Get another one and you're off the team." Angelina said as she stormed off. Katherine paled.

"Great," She muttered under her breath, but Hermione heard. "Another thing to worry about."

* * *

><p>During Care of Magical Creatures, Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the rest of the group. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her straight in the eye.<p>

"How are you?" He asked.

"I'm fine." Katherine said. Draco gave her a look and she sighed. "I'm doing better. School provides a distraction that I did not have at home."

"Would that distraction be infuriating Professor Umbridge?" Draco asked. Katherine smiled highly amused.

"What do you know? It is." Katherine said laughing. Draco shook her shoulders and she shut up.

"Do you not understand how important it is for father to remain on good terms with the Ministry? You cannot piss off one of the officials just because you feel like it!" Draco said threateningly. Katherine defiantly raised her chin.

"Maybe she should stop insulting Cedric." Katherine said. Draco sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Katherine, Diggory's dead and you know that he didn't care about people insulting him when he was alive. He always laughed it off. He'd expect the same from you." Draco said. Katherine opened her mouth to retort, but shut it once she realized he was right.

"It still hurts." Katherine said quietly.

"I know, but mother would want both us to behave with the upmost dignity." Draco said. Katherine nodded in agreement.

"Oi! You two, hurry up!" Professor Grubbly-Plank, the substitute for the missing Hagrid, told the brother and sister.

"Shall we?" Draco asked offering her his arm. Katherine slipped her hand through the crook of his arm.

Together they walked straight backed, head high, with almost bored expressions on their faces. Katherine always refrained from walking like this because she thought it made her look very snobbish. And based on the looks Harry and Ron were giving her, she knew her assumption was correct.

The lesson ended with Harry getting himself another day of detention from the Hogwarts High Inquisitor who was evaluating the class.

* * *

><p>Katherine and Harry entered Umbridge's office at five o'clock that evening. They sat down in the two desks across from Umbridge's desk. Katherine inwardly cringed at all the pink surrounding the office. Umbridge smiled at them and it creeped Katherine out.<p>

"Mr. Potter already knows what to do, but you don't, Miss Peters." Umbridge said. She handed Katherine some parchment and a black quill.

"I assume we're writing lines, but you haven't given me any ink." Katherine said picking up the quill.

"You won't need any ink." Umbridge said smiling as she handed Harry a similar black quill and parchment.

Harry started to write with an annoyed look on his face.

"Miss Peters, I want you to write _I must not explode things._" Umbridge said. Katherine shrugged and began to write.

She had barely written down the first three words, when the back of her right hand felt like someone was poking it sharply. Katherine scratched at it hoping it would go away, but instead it burned. Katherine glanced down and was appalled to see the words _I must not_ etched into the back of her hand. The wound was oozing slightly with blood. Katherine smirked.

_Honestly? This is the best she can do?_ Katherine thought to herself.

Katherine went back to writing. The pain in her hand didn't hurt, but it was super annoying. It was just a dull pain that wouldn't leave her alone and that is the worst kind of pain. Sharp pains are easily to handle because they are only temporary, but dull pains do not guarantee that they'll leave.

A couple of hours later, Katherine's hand was bleeding worse than Harry's. Blood was pouring onto the desk and the floor. Katherine put down her quill and reached across Umbridge's desk to grab her pristine white handkerchief. Katherine used it to wipe the blood and bind her hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" Umbridge asked aghast.

"Cleaning the blood." Katherine replied. She looked up at Umbridge and smirked. "Oh? You want it back, don't you?"

Katherine tossed it back onto the desk and went back to writing. Umbridge incinerated the handkerchief.

"_Hem, hem._" She cleared her throat. "That's enough for tonight."

Harry and Katherine left the office. When they got back to Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Hermione were waiting up for them. Harry sat down, but Katherine walked up to the bathroom. She washed her hand and waited for it to stop bleeding. Once it was finished, she returned downstairs to see Hermione handing her a bowl of yellow liquid.

"It's a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles. It should help your hand." Hermione explained. Katherine sighed in relief as she put her hand in the solution. She settled back into the armchair with a content smile on her face.

"You should complain about this." Ron said. Katherine raised an eyebrow.

"Why? It doesn't hurt." Katherine said.

"Your hand has been cut into!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ya, and? A little cut doesn't hurt." Katherine said. Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to Katherine and Harry.

"Let me see the hands." Hermione ordered. Katherine and Harry held out their hands. Hermione frowned as she examined them.

"Katherine," Hermione said still frowning. "Your cut is deeper than Harry's."

Katherine furrowed her brow as she tried to figure out why that would be. Then she realized it. "I always pressed down harder than I should when I write. I guess that's why."

"And you're sure it doesn't bother you?" Hermione asked. Katherine rolled her eyes and smiled.

"I had the Cruciatus Curse used on me three times and didn't fall or scream once. This does not bother me in the slightest." Katherine leaned back smug as she said it. Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to her seat.

"She's an awful woman." Hermione said. "We need to do something about her."

"Ask the twins to slip her some of their Wizard Wheezes or whatever they're called." Katherine suggested. Prefect Hermione gave her a scathing look. Katherine responded with a smile.

"I mean, how we're not learning anything." Hermione said.

"Well, Fudge is going to make sure she doesn't leave." Ron said, yawning.

"What we need is-" Hermione shot a nervous look at Harry. "Is a proper teacher."

"And who would be this proper teacher?" Harry asked.

"You, Harry." Hermione said.

"Me? Why me?" Harry asked.

"Because of what you've done." Hermione answered.

"What d'you mean?"

"Well, first year, you saved the stone from You-Know-Who." Ron said.

"That was luck!" Harry said. "If Katherine wasn't there to take that curse-"

"Second year," Ron interrupted loudly. "You destroyed Riddle and killed a basilisk."

"Yes, but if Fawkes-"

"Third year," Ron practically yelled. "You fought off a hundred dementors-"

"Katherine helped! You know it was a fluke-"

"Last year," Ron yelled. "You fought off You-Know-Who again-"

"Listen!" Harry said getting angry because Ron, Hermione, and Katherine were smirking. "Listen! It sounds great, but it was all luck. I didn't know what I was doing and I always had help! STOP LAUGHING!"

The bowl of murtlap essence fell with a mighty crash. Harry was on his feet. The other three stopped smiling.

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S IT LIKE! YOU THINK YOU JUST MEMORIZE SOME SPELLS AND START THROWING THEM AT VOLDEMORT AND EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT FINE! BUT YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT WHEN YOU'RE SECONDS FROM BEING MURDERED, OR TORTURED, OR WATCHING YOUR FRIENDS DIE! YOU SIT THERE LIKE I'M SO CLEVER BECAUSE I'M HERE ALIVE, LIKE DIGGORY WAS STUPID! YOU DON'T GET IT! IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ME IF VOLDEMORT HADN'T NEEDED ME!"

Katherine stood up and went to the window. When Harry said Diggory, Katherine felt the breath leave her. She ran her fingers down the cold window and tried to distract herself from the pain.

"We weren't having a go at Diggory, Harry." Ron said.

"Harry," Hermione said with a stricken face. "This is why we need you. . . . We need to know w-what it's like . . . facing . . . facing V-Voldemort."

Katherine jerked around with her mouth open. Harry had nearly the same reaction. Hermione has never said Voldemort's name before. That action seemed to soften Harry. Harry sat down. Katherine walked over to where she stood behind Hermione.

"Think about it, Harry." Katherine said. Harry nodded. Hermione stood up and she and Katherine went to bed.

* * *

><p>That night, Katherine snuck into Harry's dormitory and borrowed-without-asking his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders' Map. After checking to make sure the coast was clear, Katherine took one of the passageways out of the castle. She went outside and went onto the Quidditch Pitch. She jumped on her broom while still wearing the Invisibility Cloak and started practicing tricks.<p>

Katherine was handling Cedric's death better. She was now eating like she used to. She didn't start bawling every time his name was mentioned. She could now look at his ring that she never took off and not feel like the Hogwarts Express was running over her heart. But she still refused to sleep. Before, she was afraid of reliving all the good memories, but now, she was scared of the nightmares. And she scared of hurting her friends again.

So, one good night's rest a week was perfect for her. The rest of the time, she was on the Quidditch field practicing the tricks she daydreamed about during class. Some of them were stupidly dangerous, but that's exactly what she needed. She needed to feel the rush of adrenaline and feel like he was there, watching her, and cheering her on.

It was like things were normal again.

* * *

><p>Harry agreed to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and Hermione convinced him to teach more than just Katherine, Ron, and Hermione. Everyone was to meet them at Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.<p>

Hog's Head had few patrons, but they looked very shady. The four sat down at a table in the back. Katherine sat on Harry's right side. Hermione was on his other side and Ron was on the left of her.

After a few moments, Neville, Dean, Lavender, the Patil Twins, Cho Chang, Luna Lovegood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Ernie Macmillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abott, a Hufflepuff girl that Harry didn't know, three Ravenclaws who were named Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, Terry Boot, Ginny, who was followed closely by a skinny blond with an upturned nose, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan walked in and joined the four at the table.

Hermione stood up and everyone fell silent. "Well -er- hi."

The group's eyes moved from her to Harry.

"I had the idea . . . that those who want to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts . . . I mean, actually learn it. Not this rubbish that Umbridge is teaching us-" Hermione suddenly got confidence. "Because no one in their right mind would call that Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Hear, hear!" Anthony Goldstein said. Hermione smiled.

"Well, I thought it would be good if took matters into our own hands." Hermione continued. She paused for a moment to look at Harry. "I mean, learning how to defend ourselves properly."

"And you want to pass your O.W.L., too." Michael Corner said.

"Of course," Hermione said. "But more importantly, I want to be properly trained because Lord Voldemort's back."

The reaction was predictable. Cho shrieked and slopped butterbeer down her front. Katherine tried not to laugh as she helped her Ravenclaw friend clean herself up. Terry Boot twitched involuntarily. Padma Patil shuddered. Neville gave a yelp that he turned into a cough.

"You know," Katherine whispered leaning close to Harry. "You'd think people would get over that by now."

Harry smirked and enjoyed how close Katherine was to him. He shifted his position so that their feet were touching and to make him happier, she didn't move.

"So that's the plan," Hermione said. "If you want to join, we need to-"

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" The snobby-looking Hufflepuff boy asked aggressively.

"Well, Dumbledore believes-" Hermione started.

"Dumbledore believes him." The Hufflepuff said, nodding to Harry.

"Who are you?" Ron asked rudely.

"Zacharias Smith," The boy said raising his chin. "I think we've got the right to know what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."

Harry finally understood why there were so many people; they just wanted to hear about what happened that night.

"What makes me say that?" Harry asked looking at Zacharias straight on. "I saw him. Dumbledore told everyone what happened last year and if you didn't believe him then, I'm not wasting my time explaining it."

"All Dumbledore said was that You-Know-Who was back and that he killed Diggory. He didn't give us any details. He didn't tell us exactly how Diggory died." Zacharias said.

"If you want to know what it looks like when Voldemort murders someone, go duel him yourself." Harry said getting angry. He didn't take his eyes off of Zacharias, he was determined not to look at Katherine who had tensed next to him. "I'm not going to talk about Cedric Diggory. If that's all you're here for, you can leave."

No one left their seats, not even Zacharias Smith.

"Is it true," the Hufflepuff girl whom Harry didn't know asked, "that you can produce a corporeal Patronus?"

Harry was a little surprised to hear this girl use the same term that Madam Bones said at his hearing in August.

"D'you know Madam Bones?" Harry asked.

"She's my aunt." The girl smiled. "I'm Susan Bones. So is it true? Can you produce a corporeal Patronus?"

"Yeah, but it's no big deal; Katherine can do one, too." Harry said.

"Oh, thanks." Katherine said sarcastically.

"Blimey!" Lee said looking very impressed. "I never knew that!"

"And didn't you kill a basilisk with the sword in Dumbledore's office?" Terry Boot asked.

"Er- I did." Harry said, getting embarrassed.

"And, in our first year," Neville said. "He saved the Sorcerer's Stone from You-Know-Who."

Everyone was looking deeply impressed now.

"Not to mention," Katherine said as Harry's eyes snapped over to her. She was looking at him, smiling proudly. His stomach flipped. "Everything he had to get past in the Triwizard Tournament last year. Dragons, and merpeople, and things, oh my!"

Everyone laughed and continued to look impressed. Harry was just happy that Katherine didn't blame him for coming out alive. Now that he thought about it, she never gave him the impression that she did think that.

"I'm not trying to be modest, but I had tons of help with all that." Harry said.

"Are you trying to get out of teaching us?" Zacharias Smith asked.

"No, I'll teach you." Harry said.

"Does everyone agree to take lessons from Harry?" Hermione asked.

There was a murmur of agreement.

"Alright, we'll have to find a night that works with everyone." Hermione said.

"It can't interfere with Quidditch practice!" Angelina said.

"And not with ours." Cho said.

"Nor with ours." Zacharias Smith added.

"_Hem, hem,_" Ginny said in such a good imitation of the toad professor that several people jumped and then laughed when they realized it was her. "I think that we can find a night, but we need to decide where to meet."

Everyone fell silent.

After a couple of moments, Hermione spoke. "We'll try to find somewhere. We'll send a message around.

Hermione searched her bag until she found parchment and a quill. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I-I think everyone should write down their name. But I also think," Hermione took another breath. "That we all agree not to go around shouting what we're doing. So, if you sign, you're agreeing not to tell Umbridge or anyone else."

Fred reached out for the parchment and signed his name. Some people looked very apprehensive about signing, but they signed anyways.

When it was Katherine's turn to sign, she shifted herself so that her and Harry's knees were touching. Harry felt his heart flutter and he could not focus on anything else, but the spot where they were touching. Katherine signed her name in looping signature. When she was done, she looked at Harry, smirking.

"My autograph." Katherine said as she passed the paper on. "That parchment is now worth a million Galleons, Hermione."

Hermione rolled her eyes as Katherine leaned back in the chair still smirking. Harry smiled, but he was worried about Katherine. She was usually modest, but now she was acting egotistical. Or he hoped she was only acting.


	23. Chapter 23

**Remember how I said that I didn't want the fifth year to be 10 chapters? Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's going to be more chapters than I expected. I am having too much fun writing this.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 23<em>

On Monday night, Ron, Harry, and Katherine came back from Quidditch practice to see a new Educational Decree posted up on the Common Room bulletin board. The is Decree banned groups of three or more students, claiming that these were clubs. A club or organization could not exist without approval of the High Inquisitor.

This meant that she knew about the rebellious Defense Against the Dark Arts group. Ron thought that Zacharias Smith snitched, but Hermione told him that that they would know who told. She put a jinx on the parchment, so they would know who snitched.

At breakfast the next morning, Angelina came over to them.

"Did you see the sign?" She asked them.

"Yes, but don't worry, we're still going on with the meetings." Harry said.

"Did you realize that she included Quidditch in this?" Angelina asked.

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed surprised.

"Ya, so you have to be on your best behavior, Potter." Angelina threatened.

At that moment, Draco entered the Great Hall and was talking in a very loud voice. "I went to Professor Umbridge first thing. She immediately gave the Slytherin Quidditch Team permission. After all, she knows my father."

Katherine smiled as she had an idea. "Angelina, I'll go talk to her after dinner. I'll get us permission."

"How are you going to do that?" Angelina asked.

"I'm going to use the same tool Draco used." Katherine said, pausing a moment for the group to guess what. When they didn't, she continued. "My father."

* * *

><p>After dinner, Katherine raised her right hand to knock on Umbridge's door, but she stopped when she saw the cut on her hand. The words <em>I must not explode things<em> were still etched into her hand, but they were faint. Katherine took a breath and knocked.

"Enter." The voice said. Katherine timidly opened the door and stuck her head in.

"Professor?" Katherine said as Umbridge looked up and smiled. "Do you have a minute?"

"Of course." Umbridge said smiling triumphantly.

Katherine pretended to walk shyly inside the office and took a seat across from Umbridge. She pretended to be very fidgety. Katherine waited for Umbridge to start speaking.

"So, what do you want, Miss Peters?" Umbridge asked. Katherine smiled softly.

"I realized that I never apologized for my behavior on the first day of school." Katherine said pretending to make herself inferior so Umbridge would be more accepting to her request.

"Oh?" Umbridge raised her eyebrow.

"I lost my temper and that is something only five year olds do. And last time I checked, I'm not five." Katherine said smiling in an attempt to win Umbridge over.

"Well, you have been behaving in my class since that _outburst_." Umbridge commentated.

"My mother explained to me the error of my ways." Katherine said. Umbridge nodded.

"Perhaps, I shouldn't have said anything about Diggory." Umbridge said.

"No, Professor, you weren't at fault." Katherine said lying convincingly. "You had to explain to everyone what happened."

Umbridge smiled triumphantly. "You understand that Potter was lying, then?"

"I do, Professor." Katherine lied again.

"I assume that you also came here to convince me to reinstate the Gryffindor Quidditch team." Umbridge said. Katherine pretended to be taken aback.

"No, Professor." Katherine said furrowing her brow, pretending to be hurt that her professor would assume she had ulterior motives. "I just came to apologize."

"That's all?" Umbridge asked skeptically.

"Yes, Professor." Katherine stood up. "I will bid you good-bye now, Professor."

"Yes, yes, good-bye." Umbridge said. Katherine walked to the door, but stopped as if she remembered something. She turned around and saw Umbridge watching her curiously.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell the Minister that my father has agreed to their latest deal." Katherine said. Umbridge smiled victoriously revealing all her teeth.

"This is good news." Umbridge said.

"I would hope so." Katherine said.

"Miss Peters, come here." Umbridge said as she pulled out a sheet of pink parchment and wrote something down.

Katherine returned immediately to Gryffindor Tower. She smugly waved the pink parchment under Angelina's nose. Angelina grabbed it and her eyes grew wider as she read it.

"How'd you get her to give us permission?" Angelina asked.

"I told you, I used my father." Katherine smirked, very pleased with herself.

* * *

><p>They finally found a place to have the meetings; Dobby showed Harry the Room of Requirement and they decided this was where they were going to practice. The decided to have the first meeting the next night.<p>

Everyone arrived on time and were excited to get started. Harry looked at them all and was about to speak, but someone had their hand in the air.

"What, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"We need to elect a leader." Hermione said.

"Harry's leader." Katherine said as if it was obvious.

"I just think that we to vote on it. To make it official." Hermione said. "Everyone who thinks Harry should be leader, raise your hands."

Everyone did.

"Uh- thanks." Harry said. "And- what, Hermione?"

"We need to have a name." She said happily, with her hand still in the air. "It would promote team spirit."

"Anti-Umbridge League." Angelina suggested.

"The Force Against Toady-Looking People." Katherine suggested.

"The Ministry of Magic Are Morons Group." Fred suggested.

"I was thinking of something that doesn't tell people what we're doing." Hermione said, frowning.

"The Defense Association?" Katherine said. "The D.A. for short? Then no one, but us will know what we're talking about."

"The D.A.'s good," Ginny said. "But let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army."

"Because that's what the Ministry fears the most." Katherine said understanding where Ginny was going with it.

"All for the D.A.?" Hermione asked. Hands went up and Hermione counted them. "The majority has it."

Hermione took the piece of parchment with all their signatures on it and wrote DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY.

"I thought we could start with the Disarming Charm." Harry said. "Now, divide up and work on it in partners."

Neville was left partnerless, so Harry partnered with him. The room was soon filled with shouts of "_Expelliarmus._" Wands flew off in all directions. At one point, Neville managed to disarm Harry, which made Neville very proud. Harry had Neville practice with Ron and Hermione as he walked around the room.

Everyone was doing rather well. Katherine was lazily disarming Cho. When Katherine spotted him, she turned to smile at him, and Cho sent Katherine's wand flying away.

"See? When you watch me, I can't do it, Harry." Katherine said teasingly. Harry picked up her wand and when he handed it back to her, their hands touched. He smiled timidly and she responded with the same smile.

* * *

><p>It was the morning of the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Ron was looking awful. Harry tried to get him to eat something, but he looked like he might just vomit it back up. Katherine was eating wholeheartedly.<p>

"How are you not nervous?" Ron asked her shakily.

"I don't get nervous, Ronald." Katherine said, watching as Luna Lovegood came over wearing a lion on her head.

Angelina came over and Katherine walked with her to the pitch. Katherine waved to Draco, who waved and pointed to a badge he was wearing. Katherine squinted to see that the badge said WEASLEY IS OUR KING. Katherine frowned and he smirked.

In the changing room, they found out that Crabbe and Goyle were made the new Slytherin Beaters. Katherine was twitching, not with nerves, but with impatience. She couldn't wait to show off the new tricks she'd been working on.

Finally, it was time to start. The team shouldered their brooms and walked out onto the Quidditch Pitch. The crowd was singing some sort of song, but Katherine couldn't make out the lyrics.

The captains shook hands and Madam Hooch blew her whistle to start the game. Katherine caught the Quaffle first. Montague flew straight at her and she kept flying straight at him. At the last second, she jumped off her broom, over his head, and landed back on her broom.

"Looks like Katherine Peters is going to give us a show today." Lee Jordan commentated. Katherine threw it to Angelina. "It's Peters to Johnson. Johnson has the Quaffle, and what a player she is, I've been saying it forever, but she won't go out with me-"

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall said.

"Just a fun fact, Professor." Lee said. "Johnson's ducked Warrington, passed Montague, she's -ow- been hit by a Bludger from Crabbe. . . . Peters dives to catch it. Look at that dive, she's practically vertical! Peters catches it, and -ouch- rammed into by Montague. Peters slams into the ground. And she's up! Blimey, she's up, on her broom, and chasing after Montague. Oh, nice Bludger from George or Fred Weasley; can't tell who is who. Well, the Bludger hits Montague, who drops the Quaffle. Oh! Nice catch by Peters! Peters throws it to Katie Bell and Bell's away."

Katherine flew after Katie and raced in front of her. Katherine waved her hand to show that she was open. Katie passed it to her, but it was thrown too far ahead. Katherine stretched and managed to barely catch it with her left hand.

"Nice catch by Peters! Look at her go!" Lee said as Katherine did a couple of loop-de-loops to dodge Slytherin Chasers. "OUCH! Peters has been hit by two Bludgers. She manages to hold onto the Quaffle. Wow, the crowd is really enjoying this. What that they're singing?"

_"Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring,_

_That's why Slytherins all sing,_

_Weasley is our King._

_Weasley was born in a bin._

_He always lets the Quaffle in,_

_Weasley will make sure we win,_

_Weasley is our King."_

"And Katherine jumps over Slytherin Seeker Draco Malfoy!" Jordan shouted. "Better get out of her way, you slimy git-"

"JORDAN!" Professor McGonagall shouted.

"Katherine's just got the Keeper to beat! SHE - SHOOTS - SHE - damn it."

"JORDAN!"

Katherine was mentally kicking herself for missing that shot. The Slytherin Keeper passed the Quaffle to Warrington. Katherine zoomed after him, but he was too far ahead. Ron was the only thing between him and scoring.

"GET IT, RON!" Katherine yelled as she urged the broom on.

_"Weasley cannot save a thing,_

_He cannot block a single ring."_

"Slytherin score." Lee said disheartened. "That's ten-nil Slytherin."

_"WEASLEY WAS BORN IN A BIN,_

_HE ALWAYS LETS THE QUAFFLE IN . . ."_

The next round was filled with dropped balls by both teams. Montague had the Quaffle and was flying towards the Gryffindor goal posts. Katherine tried to tackle him to get the Quaffle, but she missed.

_"WEASLEY CANNOT SAVE A THING. . . ."_

"Stop it, Ron!" Lee said, before the Slytherins cheered and the Gryffindors groaned. "That's twenty-nil Slytherin."

"I think we need to change this." Katherine muttered to herself.

Unfortunately, Slytherin scored two more times. The Slytherins were all singing that horrendous song.

"Katie Bell has the Quaffle. She dodges Warrington and Pucey, and throws to Johnson. Johnson takes the Quaffle, passes Montague, she's heading for the goal, and she shoots! And, Bletchley blocks it. Bletchley tosses it to Montague. Oh my! Peters intercepts the Quaffle, she shoots! Blimey, this girl's got an arm! And . . . GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Lee screamed in happiness.

Katherine stood up on her broom and bowed to the Gryffindors. Luna's lion head roared throughout the stadium.

"Forty-ten Slytherin." Lee said.

Katherine jumped on her broom and went after the Slytherin Chasers. Right when she was about to tackle Pucey, Draco and Harry raced in front of her chasing after the Snitch. Katherine saw that the game was almost over, so she followed Harry. She had never seen him catch the Snitch, save for his first year matches.

Draco was closer and it looked as if he would catch the Snitch. But Harry reached and grabbed it. Katherine cheered as she hovered by Harry. Suddenly, a Bludger came and whammed into Harry's head. He fell off his broom and Katherine reached to catch him. Her hand caught his arm, but he was only a few feet above the ground, so Katherine lowered him somewhat gently onto the ground.

Katherine landed at the same time as Angelina. Madam Hooch's whistle was blowing shrilly. The crowd was jeering. Katherine helped Harry up.

"You alright?" Angelina asked.

"I'm fine." Harry said, annoyed.

"Crabbe whacked that Bludger once he saw you had the Snitch." Angelina said angrily.

"Oh, well. We won!" Katherine said smiling.

"I am so glad you care about my well-being." Harry said sarcastically.

"Is there a bruise?" Katherine asked raising her eyebrows.

"No." Harry said.

"Then I don't care about your well being. It's time you learn, Potter, that winning is the only thing that matters." Katherine said smiling.

They heard a snort from behind them. "Bravo, you just managed to save Weasley's neck. I've never seen a more horrible Keeper." Draco drawled. "D'you like the lyrics?"

Katherine frowned at Draco and shot him a warning look. The rest of the Gryffindor team landed by them, except for Ron, who was heading to the changing room alone.

"We wanted to write some more!" Draco called, as Katie hugged Harry. "But we couldn't find any rhymes for his fat and ugly mother!"

"What a sore loser." Angelina said casting Draco a disgusted look. Katherine took a step forward.

"Draco." She warned.

"We couldn't make useless loser work either. For his father, you know." Draco continued. Fred and George, who had been shaking Harry's hand, tensed as they realized what Draco was talking about.

"Ignore him." Angelina said as she grabbed Fred's arm. Katherine stepped in between Draco and the Gryffindors.

"Shut it, Draco." Katherine said fiercely. Draco smirked.

"You like the Weasley's, don't you, Potter?" Draco sneered. "Don't know how you stand the stink, but growing up with Muggles probably makes even the Weasley's dump smell fine-"

Harry and Katherine grabbed George, and it took the combined effort of Angelina and Katie to stop Fred. Draco was laughing harshly. Katherine looked and saw Madam Hooch was still busy yelling at Crabbe over his illegal Bludger attack.

"Or perhaps," Draco continued to sneer. "You can remember what your Mudblood mother's house stand like, Potter-"

Katherine didn't realize she had let go of George until he and Harry were almost out of reach. Katherine dove, trying to grab both of them, but she the fabric slipped through her fingers.

"HARRY! GEORGE! NO!" Angelina yelled.

Draco was yelling, George was swearing, the girls' were screaming, Harry and George were trying to beat Draco into a bloody pulp. Katherine grabbed Harry and managed to pull him off of Draco. But he tripped her and jumped Draco again.

"_IMPEDIMENTA!_" Madam Hooch yelled, and then waved her wand causing Harry and George to fly backwards.

Katherine went to Draco's side. He was curled up in a ball, whimpering, his face covered in blood from his broken nose.

Madam Hooch yelled at Harry and George to go to McGonagall's office. They left. Angelina and Katie still had a hold of Fred, who was trying to get free to pick up where his twin had left off.

"Fred." Katherine said, looking at him straight on. "It's over. Go back to the changing rooms, and then go to the Common Room."

"But-" Fred tried to protest.

"No! Just go!" Katherine ordered. Fred nodded in resignation. Angelina and Katie made sure Fred followed orders.

Katherine turned her attention back to Draco. She hit him rather hard in the shoulder. He moaned in pain and blinked up at her in confusion.

"I thought you would have learned by now to not insult someone's mother." Katherine said.

"You let go of him." Draco accused.

"You deserved to be beaten." Katherine countered. Draco tried to smirk, but he winced instead. Katherine softened and helped him up. He leaned on her as they walked slowly to the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes when she saw Katherine. Katherine looked insulted.

"It's not me this time! And c'mon, Harry's in here more than I am!" Katherine said affronted. Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes again.

Katherine sat Draco down on the nearest bed and pulled up a chair for herself. Madam Pomfrey fixed Draco in a jiffy.

"You're free to go." Madam Pomfrey said.

"Surely not? It still hurts." Draco said. Katherine laughed.

"He always has to milk it for all it's worth." Katherine smirked.

"I do not!" Draco protested.

"Yes, you do. _I got attack by a Hippogriff and couldn't use my arm for two months._" Katherine said in a perfect imitation of Draco. Draco scowled at her and she smiled in response. Madam Pomfrey let Draco stay and she went back into her office.

The doors banged open and the Slytherin team with Parkinson walked in. Montague snarled when he saw Katherine.

"What's _this_ doing here?" He nearly growled. Katherine looked at him through piercing eyes.

"I am tending to my brother." Katherine said drawing her chin up. She knew that they would jump her, but she didn't care. Part of her wanted to test out her new skills and the other part just wanted to beat the crap out of the team that always tries to kill her friends when they play against each other.

"Well, get out." Montague said.

"I am not leaving." Katherine said, and then smirked. "Oh? Did I say that too fast? I. Am. Not. Leaving."

Montague pulled out his wand. Katherine smirked again and laughed harshly.

"Your wand? Are you afraid to touch me? Afraid you may get _un-pure_ blood on your oh-so divine hands?" Katherine sneered.

Montague twitched and raised his wand higher. Katherine crossed her arms lazily and didn't bother to pull out her wand from her inside cloak pocket.

"C'mon, try it, I dare you." Katherine sneered.

The other Slytherins pulled out their wands. Katherine laughed at all of them.

"Oh? Do Slytherins only attack in groups? At least Hufflepuffs can handle themselves by themselves." Katherine mocked.

"Get out, Peters. You filthy Half-Blood." Montague snarled.

"Filthy Half-Blood?" Katherine scoffed. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Get out." Montague said more forcefully. Katherine smirked and sat back down in her chair. She put her feet up on Draco's bed, crossed them, her arms rested on the armrests, and leaned back lazily in the chair.

"No." Katherine said. Montague fired a spell at her. Katherine ducked. When her head came back up, she was smirking.

Katherine pulled out her Bristlecone Pine wand and muttered a spell that caused the curtains to close around her and Draco, successfully cutting off the Slytherins.

"You won't be able to get out of here without losing something." Draco said.

"Well, good thing I'm in the Hospital Wing." Katherine smiled amused.

* * *

><p><strong>Obviously, the lyrics are J.K. Rowlings and not my own.<strong>


	24. Chapter 24

_Chapter 24_

Hermione Granger had noticed and tried to ignore the changes of Katherine Peters. Katherine had always been healthy looking, but nowadays, she looked even better. Hermione had accidently elbowed her friend in the stomach and it was Hermione who gasped in pain.

But Katherine was not healthy looking. She ate very little, though it was an improvement from the beginning of the term. Her acquirement of muscle hid the fact that she wasn't eating properly to those who weren't close to her.

Katherine also had black circles under her eyes. Hermione knew that Katherine wasn't sleeping well, but she didn't knew how little sleep her friend was getting.

One night, Hermione had woken up to see Katherine's bed deserted. Hermione remember Katherine coming up to bed. Hermione got out of bed and went down to the Common Room.

She found Katherine asleep in the armchair with a piece of paper in her outstretched hand. Hermione smiled in relief when she saw that Katherine was actually sleeping. Katherine shifted her position and the paper fell from her hand.

Hermione picked it up and didn't recognize the messy handwriting.

_Dear Ekaterina,_

_I found out the most interesting thing the other day (though you probably already knew this). Did you know there's a city in the Ukraine that was called Ekaterinoslav? It means Catherine's Glory and is named after Catherine the Great._

_Now that history is out of the way, I wanted to see if you were free tonight. I thought we could explore the castle for some undisturbed spots. Or we can eat in the kitchens and then go exploring. _

_It doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm with you. _

_God, that sounded cheesy. _

_I found a new book for you, but can you find it? Inspired by the Second Task, I have decided to leave clues around the castle for you to find the book. You must solve the previous clue before you can figure out the next one._

_Ready? What's black and white and read all over?_

_The rest aren't this easy. I promise you that. And, yes, the book is worth the trouble._

_See you tonight,_

_Cedric_

"He wrote that the night before the Third Task." A voice said that made Hermione jump.

"Why'd you two write to each other?" Hermione asked, surveying her friend. Katherine had a slight smile on her face and was trying to make everything seem alright.

"More romantic, I guess." Katherine shrugged. Hermione handed back the letter. Katherine carefully folded it and put it in her pocket.

Hermione watched as Katherine picked up what looked to be Harry's Invisibility Cloak and the Map.

"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to go workout." Katherine said.

"Where?" Hermione asked.

"In the Room of Requirement." Katherine answered. "I haven't been able to practice fencing this school started, but now I can."

"Does Harry know you have his things?" Hermione questioned, her lips pursuing like Professor McGonagall's.

"No." Katherine said. She smiled mischievously at Hermione before throwing the Cloak over herself. Hermione watched as the portrait swung open and closed.

Hermione sighed. Katherine was very good at acting like everything was okay. But Hermione knew that it wasn't. Hermione had noticed that Katherine avoided a certain spot in the Great Hall like it was the plague.

And much to the disappointment to Quidditch fans, Katherine had not done the Wronskie Fant or whatever it's called. Hermione and Ginny had walked with some other Gryffindors to the Quidditch Pitch.

"I hope Katherine does the Wronski Feint." Ginny had said.

"That's always the best part of the game." A Gryffindor agreed.

Hermione remembered how disappointed they all were when the game ended with Katherine not even attempting the Wronski Feint.

Hermione had also noticed that a yellow and black ring never left Katherine's finger. But Katherine never looked at that ring.

* * *

><p>Before they knew it, it was almost Christmas. Tonight was the last D.A. meeting before the break. Katherine would be going home for Christmas, Harry was going with Ron to the Burrow, and Hermione was going skiing with her parents.<p>

Harry arrived first at the Room of Requirement. Luna arrived after him and told him that mistletoe was filled with nargles. Whatever that is.

Angelina, Katie, and (Harry's heart leaped) Katherine walked in. They all looked cold and annoyed.

"Well," Angelina said. "We've replaced you."

"Huh?" Harry said.

"You and Fred and George. Remember, you got yourselves banned from Quidditch for life for beating Malfoy. " Angelina said annoyed. "We've got a new Seeker."

"Who?" Harry said.

"Ginny." Katherine answered. Harry's jaw dropped. "She's really good. Not as good as you, but we'll stand a chance."

"And the Beaters?" Harry asked.

"Andrew Kirke and Jack Sloper." Katherine said shrugging. "They're not brilliant, but they were the best ones who tried out."

Ron, Hermione, and Neville arrived and brought an end to the depressing subject. Five minutes later, the rest of the D.A. arrived.

"Okay," Harry said before he saw Katherine's hand. "Yes, Katherine?"

"I say we take a picture. Like the one of the Order of the Phoenix." Katherine explained which photo she was talking about with a jerk to the mirror with photos on it.

"I agree." Hermione said.

"Excellent." Katherine said, taking charge, much to Harry's happiness; he didn't like to act as the leader. "Colin, do you have your camera?"

Colin snorted. "Of course."

"Great." Katherine said. "Everyone, two rows. Tallest in the back. Colin, go set up the camera."

The D.A. assembled like Katherine told them to. Harry was in the center. Katherine stood next to him and Hermione stood on the right side of her. Ron came and stood on Harry's other side.

"Alright, I've set up the timer." Colin said. "Ten seconds."

Colin joined the rest of the group. Harry felt Katherine's arm as it slung itself across his shoulder. He looked and saw she had done the same thing to Hermione.

"Eyes front, soldier." Katherine said smiling. The camera flashed and the picture was taken.

"I'll develop it and I'll have copies made for everyone by the next meeting." Colin said.

"Remind me to autograph them later, Colin. We want it to be worth something." Katherine joked. The D.A. members laughed.

"Okay," Harry said gaining everyone's attention. "We'll do some review today. We won't start anything new until after break."

Everyone partnered up. Harry kept sneaking glances at Katherine as she and Cho practiced. After practicing with Neville for a little while, Harry went around the room and made sure everyone was doing well. Every time he got close to Katherine, she beamed at him. He was very much tempted to just spend the rest of the time with her.

At the end of an hour, Harry called everyone to a stop.

"You all are doing so well." Harry said smiling at everyone. "When we get back, we can start doing some difficult things. Maybe even Patronuses."

There was a murmur of excitement. The room started to clear and people took turns wishing Harry a Merry Christmas. He looked and saw Katherine looking at the pictures on the mirror.

She reached her hand up and gently touched the picture of a smiling Cedric. She smiled sadly as she continued to stare at the picture.

Harry touched her shoulder and she turned around. She quickly wiped away the moisture threatening to pour out of her eyes.

"Ready for Christmas?" Harry asked, hoping that Katherine wouldn't break out crying.

"Ya, you?" She asked smiling.

"Can't wait." Harry smiled.

Katherine smiled, and then she started to walk towards the door. Harry caught her arm and took a step closer to her. Katherine's beautiful green eyes flickered down to his lips, and then back up.

Harry leaned closer and kissed her. She responded wholeheartedly. Suddenly, she froze and broke away. Tears were glistening in her eyes.

"Harry, we can't-" She tried to say.

Harry grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in again. Katherine nearly melted at his touch. He felt wetness on his cheeks. She broke away again and spun away from him. Spun towards the picture of Cedric.

"Harry, we can't . . . Cedric-" She sputtered.

"He'd want you to be happy, Katherine." Harry said to her back.

"It feels like I'm betraying him." Katherine said, shaking with silent sobs.

"Do you like me?" Harry asked bluntly.

"Not in that way." Katherine said as she hung her head.

"But . . . Hermione said that during the first D.A. meeting in Hog's Head . . . that you couldn't keep your eyes off of me." Harry said.

Katherine laughed once and turned around to look at him. "Harry, you were talking. In polite society, it is customary to look at a person when they are speaking."

"Oh." Harry said lamely.

"I'm sorry." Katherine said. She walked towards him and almost walked past him to the door.

Katherine stopped and looked at him. Harry met her gaze. Katherine bit her lip as if she was debating something.

Harry's heart soared as she leaned in. Their lips touched and their arms wrapped around each other. Katherine melted into him. Harry was ecstatic. Finally, after two years, she was his.

Then she broke away and looked at him with tear-filled, guilty looking, beautiful green eyes.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Katherine said as she ran out. Harry wasn't put off by this; he was still reliving the wonderful moment of the last kiss.

* * *

><p>Hermione was waiting with Ron in the Common Room. She had known Harry had a crush on Katherine since their third year. She wanted to see what happened when the two were left alone.<p>

Katherine stormed in and completely ignored the two fifth years. Hermione heard were muttering something violent about a pot. Hermione watched as Katherine stormed up the stairs and disappeared.

Hermione was about to go join her friend, but Harry walked in looking like he was on a cloud. Hermione decided that Katherine could wait.

"What happened?" Hermione asked. Harry sat down.

"We . . . uh . . ." Harry tried to say, but was starting to get embarrassed.

"Did you kiss?" Hermione asked bluntly. Ron sat up so quickly that the ink bottle went flying. Harry looked at both of them and nodded.

"Score!" Ron said, making a triumphant gesture. "How was it?"

"Well, I kissed her twice, and she started crying. Then she kissed me and then she left." Harry said bemused. Ron matched his look.

"What did she say, Harry?" Hermione asked, annoyed with the two boys.

"She said that she felt she was betraying Cedric." Harry answered. Hermione nodded in understanding.

"Well, let's see what tomorrow brings. Don't worry about it too much, Harry." Hermione said as she closed her book and rose.

"You're going to bed?" Ron asked.

"Unlike you, I finish my homework at an appropriate time." Hermione said before she left.

Hermione walked into her dormitory. Katherine was lying on her bed, her face buried in a pillow, and her shoulders were shaking. Hermione walked over and sat on the bed. Katherine froze and rolled over to see Hermione.

"Harry told us what happened." Hermione said.

"Oh." Katherine said.

Hermione was about to say something, but Katherine cut her off. "I'm tired. We'll talk later. Good night."

Katherine rolled over. Hermione sighed and went to her own bed.

* * *

><p>Katherine was awake. She always was awake, but this time was different. She was awake because she heard distant moaning and an almost scream. Katherine knew that it was Harry. Many of the times that Katherine was either borrowing or returning Harry's rule breaking tools, she would hear Harry moaning in his sleep and muttering "So close, so close."<p>

The same thing happened when they fell asleep on the couch together. That was the reason why Katherine slept only an hour. She soothingly played with his hair and he relaxed. But Katherine never asked him about it. After all, she never told anyone about her dreams, why should she pressure someone else into telling theirs?

Katherine heard someone running down the stairs. Then a few minutes later, she heard two people coming up the stairs. Then she heard three people descend down the steps. It was almost ten minutes later, when the door to the dormitory opened. Katherine sat up and saw Professor McGonagall.

"It's Harry, isn't it?" Katherine asked.

"Yes." Professor McGonagall said.

Katherine got out of bed and started to pull on her dressing gown.

"No, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said. "Professor Dumbledore didn't ask for you."

"I'm coming, Professor." Katherine said.

"Miss Peters, part of growing up is learning the difference between when we are needed and when we were are just in the way."

* * *

><p>Harry was at Grimmauld Place. He had a nightmare about Mr. Weasley getting attacked by a giant snake, getting attacked by Harry. Mr. Weasley was alright though. Dumbledore made sure that he was found by the right people.<p>

Harry was in his room and an owl just arrived with a letter for him. He was just about to read it, but Fred, George, and Ron came in.

"What have you got there, Harry?" Fred asked.

"A letter from Katherine." Harry answered.

"Ooh!" George said. "Ronnekins told us about your kissy-kissy time with Katherine."

Harry blushed. "Thanks, Ron."

Fred dove for the letter and successfully took it. Harry tried to take it back, but Fred kept him away.

"_Dear Harry,_" Fred read. "_What makes you think that you can just kiss me and leave?_ Uh-oh, you're in trouble, Harry."

Fred tossed the letter to George, who held it over Harry's head. "_You are such a twit! _Ha! Took her long enough. _Do you honestly think that I'm okay with you just leaving after kissing me?_"

George threw the letter back to Fred. Harry jumped for it, but missed. "_I never want to speak to you again, Potter!_ Major trouble, indeed. _And no amount of apologies will make me change my mind! Good-bye._"

Harry snatched it away from them. "Go away."

"Sorry, Harry, but you shouldn't have left." George said as he and his brothers left.

Harry's hands were shaking in anger. How dare Katherine get mad at him for something he had no control over. Harry looked down at the letter and saw, to his surprise, the message Fred and George had just read was disappearing and being replaced by a new message.

_Dear Harry,_

_Clever, isn't it? Since I've had more time on my hands, I've been trying to create some new spells. This is works the best, but it only works for yours and Dumbledore's name. See_, _the spell allows a person to send a message without worrying about it being read by someone else. All you do is write out your fake message, then say the spell and the person's name, and then write the real message. The person can only see the real message if they touch the parchment. Once they no longer touch it, the fake message returns._

_Genius? I know. Once I get it to work for everyone, I'll show the Order, and then maybe they'll let me join._

_Anyways, I'm sorry about the other night. I was confused and felt like I was in a hurricane of emotions and . . . yeah._

_Umbridge is furious. She's been storming all around the castle about how you and the Weasleys disappeared under her nose. Dumbledore keeps assuring her that it was for a good reason, but I expect some Educational Decree to come out soon that forbids students from ever leaving Hogwarts._

_She came after Hermione and I the moment she saw you were gone. She demanded that she tell us where you were. We told her we had no idea, but she seemed to believe we were lying. _

_I meant what I said about not wanting to speak to you. Not for the reasons you believe, but for reasons I can't tell you. I want to tell you. I want to tell you exactly why, but I can't. _

_I have to get closer to Umbridge, again, for reasons I can't tell you. This means that you and I cannot speak to each other. We must act like we hate each other. It will be easy for her to believe this because she has probably read the fake letter by now. You need to pretend to be angry with me about being irrational. _

_Tell Ron and Hermione that we can't talk anymore, at least not in public. I'm sorry that I can't explain. I will eventually. But not now._

_Harry, please understand that it is of the most vital importance that you follow what I say. I'm sorry I can't explain._

_Sincerely yours,_

_Katherine_

Harry crunched up the letter into a ball and threw it at the wall. He was shaking with anger. He was so freaking sick of people not telling him things. And he was sick of this back-and-forth game with Katherine. He'd say one thing, though, it wasn't going to be hard for him to pretend that he was angry with her. Not hard, at all.

* * *

><p>Katherine and Draco were met at the station by their mother. A house-elf had come with her to get the luggage. Narcissa grabbed her children's hands and Apparated them to Malfoy Manor. Draco went ahead of them and went inside the Manor. Narcissa looped her arm around Katherine's and led her to the garden.<p>

They walked through the flowers and stepped over the albino peacocks. Katherine leaned her head against Narcissa's arm.

"You look better." Narcissa said. Katherine smiled softly.

"I've been sleeping better." Katherine said.

"Good." Narcissa said.

They returned back to the house when they heard Draco calling for them. They ate dinner without Lucius. Narcissa tried to appear not concerned about her husband's absence.

The three had retreated to their rooms to go to sleep and Lucius had still not arrived. Katherine knew that Narcissa needed something to distract from the worry. Katherine tiptoed to the master bedroom.

Katherine opened the door and saw Narcissa sitting in bed with a book on her lap, staring off into space. Katherine shuffled in and cleared her throat. Narcissa jumped, and then relaxed when she saw it was Katherine.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Narcissa asked.

"I can't sleep." Katherine said. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Narcissa smiled and patted the space next to her. Katherine smiled and crawled into the space. Narcissa put her around Katherine, who rested her head against Narcissa's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her mother.

Narcissa soothingly rubbed Katherine's back. Katherine yawned and fell asleep. She had only been sleeping for half an hour, when Lucius walked in.

"Where have you been?" Narcissa asked whispering. Lucius sighed tiredly.

"The Dark Lord needed me." Lucius said as he kissed his wife.

"Hmm." Narcissa said.

Lucius sighed in annoyance. "Why is Katherine in our bed?"

"She couldn't sleep." Narcissa answered.

"She's fifteen, not five. She can sleep in her own bed." Lucius said annoyed.

"She's staying here. She needs me." Narcissa protested.

"Why can't she need you in her own bed?" Lucius asked.

"Why can't you sleep in one of the guest bedrooms?" Narcissa whispered in protest. Lucius sighed loudly.

"Fine, but only because I love both of you." Lucius said. He kissed Katherine's forehead as she slept and kissed Narcissa good night. Katherine waited until he left before opening her eyes.

"He's so sweet." Katherine whispered. Narcissa looked down at her in surprise.

"You heard that?" Narcissa asked.

"You both were yelling." Katherine said.

"No, we were whispering." Narcissa protested.

"Right next to my ear. So, yeah, you were yelling." Katherine smiled.

Narcissa continued to rub Katherine's back. Katherine leaned up and kissed Narcissa's cheek.

"Thank you." Katherine whispered before she fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Mass breakout at Azkaban. That was all that the students were talking about at breakfast. Katherine was worried out of her mind. She had barely read the article before she went into an abandoned classroom. This was where Draco had found her.<p>

"What's wrong?" Draco asked as he watched Katherine paced back and forth.

"Bellatrix Lestrange escaped, Draco." Katherine said frantically. "Where is the first place she's going to go? To Narcissa. What if they are not close? What if Bellatrix thinks that Narcissa is the reason she got captured and sent to Azkaban?"

"Mum will be fine." Draco said reassuringly.

"D'you know what Lestrange has done?" Katherine's hand was shaking. "You know what she did to the Longbottoms, don't you?"

"Yes." Draco answered.

"Do you want that to happen to our parents?" Katherine asked.

Draco paled and looked frightened.

"I'm going home." Katherine said.

Katherine walked past Draco and went to Umbridge's office. She had gotten on Umbridge's good side once they got back from break. Katherine had refused to sit at the Gryffindor table and, in everyone of her classes, she changed seats so that she was as far away from Harry as possible. She spent most of her time with Draco.

Katherine knocked on Umbridge's door and heard the command to come inside. Katherine opened the door and walked in. Umbridge smiled at her and Katherine pretended to smile back with sincerity.

"Professor, I'm afraid I left a book at home and it will take too long to owl, so I was wondering if I could Floo home." Katherine said. Umbridge looked at her.

"Is it that important?" Umbridge asked.

"I'm afraid so, Professor." Katherine said.

"Well, fine. You can use my fireplace." Umbridge said.

"Thank you." Katherine walked over to the fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floo powder, stepped inside, and said, "Malfoy Manor."

Katherine shut her eyes as she spun. When the movement stopped, Katherine dropped to the ground because a hex just missed where her head had been.

"Is this how you greet people?" Katherine said, barely lifting her head to see Narcissa with her wand out.

"Katherine!" Narcissa exclaimed as she ran over to her daughter. "I didn't know it was you. Are you alright?"

Katherine ignored the question as she stood up. She brushed dirt off of her school robes.

"Are you alright?" Katherine asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Narcissa asked.

"Bellatrix Lestrange has escaped." Katherine said. Narcissa sat down on the couch and laughed softly.

"And?" Narcissa asked smiling.

"This is the first place she'd come. I was worried that she might hurt you. That she might think you're the reason she got captured." Katherine said, annoyed that her mother was laughing.

"Bella is not going to hurt me. She knows that I had nothing to do with her getting captured. She will never hurt me." Narcissa said. "Is that the reason you came?"

"Yes, but I told Umbridge I came to get a book that I desperately need." Katherine said.

"I'll help you pick out a book." Narcissa said.

Together, they walked up the stairs to the hall of bedrooms. Katherine looked at the first room on the right. The door was slightly opened. Katherine moved closer to it and saw the back of a woman with black untamed hair as she slept.

"_Silencio!_" Narcissa hissed. Katherine was about to scream at Narcissa for harboring a fugitive. For harboring that woman that had done so many horrendous things. But Narcissa hit her with a Silencing Charm.

Narcissa grabbed Katherine's arm and led her into Katherine's room. Katherine was flailing her arms and wringing her hands. Narcissa, then, lifted the spell.

"What are you thinking?" Katherine hissed. "Guarding that _thing_! What happens when the Ministry comes? You are going to get yourself sent to Azkaban!"

"She is my sister, Katherine, and I am going to protect her." Narcissa said.

Katherine pulled out her wand. She was going to end that menace once and for all. Narcissa blocked her way.

"No." Narcissa said, guessing correctly what Katherine was thinking. "Go get your book, and then you will go back to school."

Katherine glared at her mother, but then she relented. Katherine put her wand away and picked out a book.

"Cissy, who's this?" A voice that sounded dead asked. Katherine turned around to see Bellatrix Lestrange.

Her eyes were the most prominent feature of her face. Black eyes that seemed to have no light in them. Her cheeks were hollow and sunken in. Her lips were chapped and cracked. Her hair had some pieces of gray and was lifeless. She looked like a skeleton with an ill fitting suit of skin on.

"My daughter." Narcissa answered.

"Your daughter? You never mentioned her." Bellatrix Lestrange said.

"Why don't you go down for breakfast and I'll explain it to you there?" Narcissa said.

"Your daughter will join us." Bellatrix commanded as she left.

Katherine watched her go with a snarl on her face. Her hand itched to grab her wand. Narcissa grabbed her shoulders and leaned in close.

"Now, listen to me." Narcissa said fiercely. "You will behave yourself and not provoke your aunt."

The right side of Katherine's face twitched at the word "aunt." It had not crossed her mind before that she was related to that woman.

"Katherine, promise me you will behave." Narcissa ordered. Katherine smirked at her mother.

"I never make promises I know I can't keep." Katherine said.

"You will behave." Narcissa commanded.

Without waiting for her answer, Narcissa grabbed Katherine's arm and they went down to the dining room. Bellatrix was reading the paper and eating a piece of toast. Katherine sat across from her and Narcissa sat between them. A house elf brought two plates for them.

Bellatrix looked over the newspaper at Katherine, who was pointing looking at her food.

"So, tell me the story, Cissy." Bellatrix said.

"Katherine grew up close by and she became friends with Draco. We adopted her last year." Narcissa explained.

"What's your name, girl?" Bellatrix asked.

"Katherine Peters." Katherine said.

"Peters," Bellatrix's face looked thoughtful. "I have never heard of a Pure Blood family with that name."

A smile tugged at Katherine's face. "No, because it is a Muggle name."

Bellatrix's eyes flashed and she turned to Narcissa. "You allowed a Mudblood into the family?"

"No, Bella." Narcissa said. "Katherine is a Half-Blood."

Katherine was about to say something snarky, but Narcissa kicked her under the table.

"What House are you in?" Bellatrix asked, turning her attention back to Katherine.

"Gryffindor." Katherine said proudly as she pointed to her scarlet and gold tie. Bellatrix's eyes flashed again.

"Gryffindor." Bellatrix spat.

Narcissa obviously sensed a fight about to start. Bellatrix had pulled out her wand and Katherine's was under the table. Both were glaring at each other, waiting for the first move.

"Katherine, I think you should go back to school now." Narcissa said. Katherine nodded, grabbed her book, left the room, and used the Floo Network to get back to school.

* * *

><p>About a month or so had passed since the Mass Breakout. Harry had gone to Occlumency lessons with Snape, he had not spoken at all with Katherine, and he had to deal with watching Gryffindor lose their next game.<p>

Tonight was another D.A. meeting. Seamus had decided to join the D.A. after he read Harry's exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter in _The Quibbler._ Katherine had not come to the lesson.

"Alright, today, we are going to work on Patronuses." Harry said. "Think of something extremely happy and say _Expecto Patronum._"

Everyone began to try. Hermione's Patronous was an otter and it was swimming around the Room of Requirement. Suddenly, the door opened and closed, but Harry didn't see who had come in. Then something was attached to his leg. Harry looked down to see Dobby, who was looking at him with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"Harry Potter, sir . . ." Dobby said trembling. "Dobby has come to warn you . . . but we have been told not to tell . . ."

Dobby ran headfirst into the wall as punishment. Harry grabbed him as some of the girls squeaked.

"What's happened?" Harry asked, holding Dobby away from anything that he could use to punish himself with.

"Harry Potter . . . she . . . she . . ."

Dobby smashed his fist into his nose. Harry grabbed that arm.

"Who, Dobby?"

But Harry had an idea of who she was. Dobby looked up at him and mouthed wordlessly.

"Umbridge?" Harry asked.

Dobby nodded.

"Has she found out about the D.A.?" Harry asked.

Dobby tried to kick himself, but Harry held him at bay.

"Is she coming?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir." Dobby squeaked.

Harry looked up at all the students, who stood looking terrified.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?" Harry yelled. "RUN!"

Everyone pelted for the door. Harry heard them racing down the corridor after they burst through the exit.

"Dobby, this is an order, go back to the kitchens, and if she asks you if you warned us, you lie and say no!" Harry said. "And I forbid you to hurt yourself!"

"Thank you, Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked before he streaked away.

Harry ran out the door, heading for the boys' bathroom. All he had to do was get inside there and pretend that's where he was. Something caught his ankle and he fell spectacularly. He heard laughter behind him.

"Trip Jinx, Potter!" Harry rolled over to see Malfoy laughing at him. "Professor, I've got one!"

Umbridge came around the corridor wearing a very happy smile.

"Excellent job, Draco! Fifty points to Slytherin!" Umbridge said when she saw Harry. "I'll take him from here."

Harry got up, glaring at both of them. Umbridge looked as if Christmas had come early. She grabbed his arm and turned to Malfoy.

"You go and see if you can round up anymore, Draco." Umbridge said. "Tell the others to check the library and the bathrooms. Tell Miss Peters to check the girls'. Off you go."

_Miss Peters?_ Harry thought and his thoughts started to twist in anger. _Katherine betrayed us. She's the one who snitched. She's a traitor._

_Bloody traitor._


	25. Chapter 25

**Alright, Katherine's abs are not rock hard. When you're hit lightly and you don't expect it, you say "Ow" in surprise more than pain. This is what happened with Hermione. It was more like she hit her elbow lightly against a table and gasped in surprise. Hope that clears any confusion.**

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><p><em>Chapter 25<em>

Umbridge dragged Harry into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk looking serene. Professor McGonagall stood behind him looking tense. The Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was standing by the fire looking very pleased. Kingsley Shacklebolt and a tough-looking wizard were positioned on either side of the door like guards. Percy Weasley hovered excitedly looking prepared to take notes. Harry pulled himself free from Umbridge.

"Well, well," Fudge said with a look of triumph on his face.

"He was heading back to Gryffindor Tower." Umbridge said. "Draco cornered him."

"Did he? I must remember to tell Lucius." Fudge said.

The door opened and Katherine walked in with Cho Chang. She ignored Harry and walked over to Umbridge. She handed Umbridge a piece of parchment and kept one hand on Cho Chang, who was covering her face in her hands.

"Parkinson found this in the Room. It's a list of names." Katherine said. Umbridge latched onto it greedily.

"Who is this?" Fudge asked looking at Cho Chang.

"Minister, this is Cho Chang. She is the one who told Professor Umbridge about the illegal meetings." Katherine answered.

"Look at the Minister in the eye, dear." Umbridge urged.

Cho removed her hands from her face. Fudge jumped back. Harry looked to see the word SNEAK written all over her face. Harry nearly smiled at Hermione's spell work. He caught Katherine's eye and swore that she gave him a small smile, but it was gone too quickly. And, besides, Katherine is a traitor.

Cho grabbed her robes and covered her face. Umbridge sighed impatiently.

"Minister," Umbridge started to say. "Miss Chang came to my office and told me that if I went to a secret room on the seventh floor, I would discover a secret meeting. Unfortunately, that hex came into operation and she became too distressed to continue."

"Well, that was very brave of you, my dear." Fudge said, looking at Cho with what he thought was a fatherly look.

"So, Minister," Umbridge continued. "I found Mr. Malfoy and Miss Peters having dinner and asked them to help me round of these misfits. They came at once and brought some Slytherin students with them. Did you catch anyone else, Katherine?"

"No, Professor. I checked the bathrooms, but they were empty." Katherine replied.

Harry felt nothing else, but utter betrayal. Katherine was having dinner with Malfoy and getting her friends in trouble.

"Well, Miss Peters, your father will be proud." Fudge said.

"Thank you, Minister." Katherine said, inclining her head in respect.

"These meetings were hosted by Potter and they were to convince students to learn spells that the Ministry has decided are inappropriate for school age-"

"I think you'll find that you're wrong, Dolores." Dumbledore interrupted.

Harry looked at him; he had no idea how Dumbledore was going to talk him out of it.

"Oho!" Fudge exclaimed. "Let's hear the latest cock-and-bull story! Was it Potter's evil twin that was running these meetings? Or did a dead man come back to live and tell Potter to do this?"

Percy let out a hearty laugh. "Good one, Minister."

Harry wanted to punch him. But, to his surprise, Dumbledore was smiling.

"That first meeting at Hog's Head was not illegal because the Educational Decree that banned groups was not created until afterwards." Dumbledore pointed out.

Percy looked like someone had just punched him in the face. Fudge had his mouth hanging open. Harry caught Katherine's eye again and swore he saw her smile again, but she wouldn't be.

"Yes, Headmaster, that is correct." Umbridge said smiling his expired honey smile. "But the meetings that took place afterwards are illegal."

"Well," Dumbledore said politely. "They would be, if they had continued. Do you have any evidence of such a thing?"

Harry felt Kingsley move behind him and he thought he heard the Auror whisper something.

"Evidence?" Umbridge repeated. "Have you not been listening? Why do you think Miss Chang is here?"

"Oh? Did she tell us about six months' worth of meetings?" Dumbledore asked. "I thought that she had just mentioned that there was one tonight."

"Miss Chang," Umbridge said. "How long have these meetings been going on? You can simply nod or shake your head. Have they been occurring over the last six months?"

Harry felt his stomach drop. This was it. The end. The evidence that Dumbledore would not be able to shift aside.

"Just nod or shake your head, Cho." Katherine coaxed.

Everyone was staring at the top of Cho's head. Harry looked at her eyes and thought they looked slightly blank. And, to Harry's utter amazement, Cho shook her head.

"You didn't understand the question, did you, dear?" Umbridge asked. "I asked whether there have been meetings going on for the last six months?"

Cho shook her head, again.

"Why are you shaking your head, girl?" Umbridge asked in a testy voice.

Umbridge pulled out the sheet of parchment paper and read it quickly. She looked up at Katherine, who raised her eyebrow.

"Your name is on here, Miss Peters." Umbridge said.

"What?" Katherine said flabbergasted. She walked over to Umbridge and read her name on the parchment.

"Miss Peters, have there been meetings going for six months?" Umbridge asked her.

Harry looked at Katherine. That traitor was going to tell on them. That traitor was going to do what she could to make sure she stayed in favor with the powerful.

"Professor, there have been no meetings." Katherine said. Harry felt a wave of gratitude mixed with astonishment.

"Well, there was one tonight." Fudge interjected.

"Yes, and thanks to this list Miss Parkinson found, we know that Potter was the leader." Umbridge said as she handed Fudge the D.A. list.

"And look what they've named themselves!" Fudge said. "Dumbledore's Army."

Dumbledore reached and took the paper. He gazed at the heading, seeming unable to speak. The he looked up, smiling.

"Well, I guess the game is up," He said. "Would you like a written confession or a statement before these witnesses, Cornelius?"

Harry saw McGonagall and Kingsley look at each other. They both looked afraid.

"Statement?" Fudge said. "What?"

"Dumbledore's Army." Dumbledore said, still smiling as he handed the list back to Fudge. "Not Potter's Army. Dumbledore's Army."

Understanding blazed on Fudge's face.

"You?" Fudge whispered excitedly.

"Me." Dumbledore said pleasantly.

"You organized this?"

"Correct."

"You recruited these students for your army?"

"Tonight was supposed to be the first meeting." Dumbledore said. "I see now it was a mistake to ask Miss Chang and, apparently, Miss Peters."

"My loyalty lies with the Ministry." Katherine said raising her chin.

"Then you've been plotting against me!" Fudge yelled.

"That's right." Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"Well, I came here to expel Potter, but, instead-" Fudge said.

"You get to arrest me." Dumbledore said. "It's like losing a Knut and finding a Galleon."

"Weasley!" Fudge cried, almost dancing with delight. "Have you written everything he said down?"

"Yes, sir." Percy said eagerly.

"Well, go send off a copy to the _Daily Prophet._ If we're lucky, this will make the morning edition." Fudge said as Percy ran from the room. "Now, Dumbledore, you will be escorted to the Ministry, you will be formally charged and then sent to Azkaban to await trial."

"Ah," Dumbledore said. "I thought we might hit that little snag."

"Snag?" Fudge said. "I see no snag."

"I'm afraid I do." Dumbledore said apologetically. "I'm afraid I have no intention to go to Azkaban."

Umbridge's face was getting redder and redder. Fudge stared at Dumbledore with a silly expression on his face.

"Enough!" Fudge said. "Dawlish! Shacklebolt! Get him!"

Silver light flashed around the room. A loud bang was followed by the floor shaking. Harry saw Katherine twist around and knock him and Cho Chang to the ground. Harry looked and saw Professor McGonagall crouched next to him. Dust was floating down in the air.

Katherine helped Harry and Cho up. Katherine extended her hand to Professor McGonagall and helped her up, as well. Dumbledore made his way over to them.

"Are you all right?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." Professor McGonagall said.

The dust was clearing. The office was a wreck with desks overturned, instruments in a million pieces. Fudge, Umbridge, Kingsley, and Dawlish were lying motionless on the floor.

"I had to hex Kingsley, too, or it would have looked suspicious." Dumbledore said. "He was very good, modifying Miss Chang's memory like that. Thank him for me, Minerva."

"Professor," Katherine said, Professor Dumbledore turned to her. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I-I'm not loyal to the Ministry."

Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "I know."

"Do I still have to-" Katherine said, begging with her eyes.

"Yes, now more than ever." Dumbledore answered.

"But-" Katherine protested.

"That is the problem of doing your duty too well." Dumbledore said. Katherine looked down at her shoes.

Dumbledore turned his attention back to Professor McGonagall.

"They will awake soon and it will be best if they do not know that we had time to speak. You must act as though no time had passed. Act as though they had just been merely knocked to the ground."

Katherine lied down on the ground and closed her eyes.

"They'll expect me to be knocked down, too." Katherine said, answering their unspoken question.

"Harry," Dumbledore said urgently. "You must learn Occlumency. This is of the upmost important. Close your mind. Promise me."

Harry nodded and Dumbledore raised his hand. Fawkes flew low overhead, Dumbledore grabbed the phoenix's tail. There was a flash of fire and they were gone.

"Where is he?" Fudge demanded as he picked himself up from the ground.

"I don't know!" Kingsley said, leaping to his feet. Katherine was up and helping Umbridge to her feet.

"He couldn't have Disapparated!" Umbridge cried. "You can't inside this school-"

"The stairs!" Dawlish cried. He and Kingsley flung open the door and raced out.

"I'm sorry, Minister," Katherine said with an apologetic smile. "But you'll have to admit that Dumbledore's got style."

Fudge gave Katherine a look and left.

"Professor," Katherine said to Umbridge. "I'll escort Potter back to Gryffindor Tower."

"Very well." Umbridge said.

Katherine roughly grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him from the office. They went to the seventh floor and came to a stop in front of the Room of Requirement.

"We need a place to talk." Katherine muttered. A door appeared and Katherine opened it. She let go of Harry's arm and gestured for him to go in. Harry gave her quizzical look, but walked in, nonetheless. Katherine followed and shut the door.

A small table with two tea cups, a kettle, and a tray of biscuits sat in front of them. Katherine sat down in one of the chairs and Harry sat in the other. Katherine poured each of them some tea and offered Harry cream and sugar.

Katherine was stirring her tea absentmindedly as she stared off into space, biting her lip in thought. Suddenly, she looked at him through piercing green eyes.

"I'm not one of them, Harry." Katherine said, fiercely, drawing herself up. "I believe Voldemort's back. I know Voldemort's back. Cedric didn't drop dead."

Harry looked at her in shock. This was the first time he had heard her say Cedric's name without tears springing to her eyes or her freezing in shock or losing her train of thought.

"Then why did you side with them?" Harry asked harsher than he intended to.

"Because-" Katherine started to say.

"Because you always have to side with the ones in power, don't you?" Harry said getting angry. "You swallow your pride and return to them on bended knee, pleading with them that you are with them! You proved it in there! You looked at me with disgust! You gave her the bloody list! You gave her the evidence! You-"

"Lied." Katherine interjected. "Harry, I lied. Remember? I told Umbridge that the meetings had not occurred. I lied."

"But you still sided with them!" Harry bellowed.

"Because I had to!" Katherine snapped.

"Had to?" Harry scoffed.

"Dumbledore asked me to act as a spy." Katherine said.

"Why would he ask _you_?" Harry sneered a sneer worthy of Malfoy.

"Because it's easy for me." Katherine said. "Lucius Malfoy is my father. He is besties with the Minister. All I have to do is behave and Umbridge loves me."

"Why didn't he just have Kingsley do it?" Harry asked.

"Because he needs a student. He needs a person who can charm the teacher and keep her friends out of trouble." Katherine said with a pointed stare.

"Why didn't you come to the meeting tonight?" Harry asked, not truly convinced that she was a spy. Katherine smiled kindly at him and must have guessed what he was thinking.

"It takes years to love, but a second to hate, doesn't it, Harry?" Katherine said smiling. "I didn't go to the meeting because Draco asked me to have dinner with him. I couldn't refuse because I would have had to make up an excuse, and he would have gone wherever I said I was going to be just to make sure I was there. And if I wasn't where I said I would be, he would tell my parents, who would yell at me, and make my life a nuisance. It was much easier to have dinner with him. And besides, you were working on Patronuses; I've been able to produce a Patronus since I was thirteen."

"So you had no idea that Cho had snitched?" Harry asked, still dubious.

"No idea." Katherine said. "And if I did, I would have told you."

"Tell me what you were doing tonight." Harry said.

"Draco and I were having dinner in one of the spare rooms-" Katherine started.

"Alone?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No, Harry, I was with Draco." Katherine smiled teasingly.

Harry sighed and his head fell into his hands.

"Well, we were just about to start eating dessert. Oh my goodness, Harry, dessert was the best thing ever! It was a chocolate cake in a cup with a fresh scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a raspberry sauce! It was amazing! I mean-" Katherine said, her face brightening with excitement.

"Just get on with it." Harry said, smiling slightly.

"Fine." Katherine smiled. "Anyways, Umbridge came in and asked Draco to help her capture some students that were doing illegal things. I was about to hide under the table, but Draco asked if I could help, as well. Umbridge looked at me and I had to say that I would help.

"She told us where to go and we met up with other Slytherins. Draco saw you run out and chased you. He yelled that he got you and came back saying that I was to look in the girls' bathroom.

"I went in after making sure the corridor was clear. Then I said, 'I am here to take whoever is taking part in an illegal club to Professor Umbridge, but first, I'm going to go check the empty stall for about ten minutes. Don't try to run away, even though the coast is clear.' And then I went into the stall and waited until everyone had left.

"I went out and saw that some Slytherins had cornered Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein. I hexed the Slytherins, stuffed them in a closet, and told the two boys to run.

"Then Parkinson showed up looking triumphant. She was waving the list under my nose. I grabbed it from her and said that I would take it to Umbridge. She followed me to make sure that I did as I said. I was planning on running to Gryffindor Tower and giving it back to Hermione, but Parkinson foiled that plan.

"So yeah. That's about it." Katherine said.

"So, what now?" Harry asked.

"I have to pretend that I'm on Umbridge's side until Dumbledore gets back." Katherine said, frowning.

"Fun." Harry said sarcastically.

"That's why I sent you that letter." Katherine said. "I was trying to explain why I was going to act very rude."

"You didn't explain very well." Harry said.

"I know." Katherine said, sighing. "I couldn't say it all in the letter. There was the off chance that the charm wouldn't work and the letter would get intercepted."

"Off chance?" Harry said.

"Oh, you're right; on the very, very, very, very slight chance that my spell wouldn't work." Katherine smiled. Harry smiled, too.

He looked at Katherine and didn't quite trust her. She said that she was doing it for Dumbledore, but she does live with the Malfoys. She grew up with the Malfoys. Wasn't it possible that she's acting like a spy for them? That she's only pretending to be their friend?

Harry didn't trust her. Honestly, he was still angry about her rejecting him after their _three_ kisses. _Three kisses._ Three perfect, beautiful, wonderful kisses. She was acting like they meant nothing. She was acting like she felt nothing.

So, Harry decided that he too would feel nothing.


	26. Chapter 26

**Okay, the Inquisitorial Squad was created after the end of the D.A.**

**I'm sick today, so I got to finish off this chapter. The next one will be the battle and the return of Bellatrix. I've been having too much fun thinking about Bella and Katherine scenes, so I can't wait to write them.**

**Enjoy this chapter.**

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><p><em>Chapter 26<em>

Umbridge had been made the new Headmistress and, much to the majority of the school population's amusement, Dumbledore's office had sealed itself and would not let her in.

The next morning after Herbology, Katherine saw that Draco had just slipped through the door. Katherine walked right behind him.

"Care to finish that, Granger?" Draco drawled as Hermione was speaking ill of Umbridge.

Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Ernie Macmillan turned around. Katherine upturned her nose and pretended to be disgusted.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." Draco drawled again.

"Only teachers can dock points, Malfoy." Ernie said.

"Neither can prefects." Ron snarled.

"I know that, Weasel King." Draco sneered. Katherine pretended to find it funny. "But members of the Inquisitorial Squad-"

"What?" Hermione interrupted sharply.

"The Inquisitorial Squad, Granger," Draco pointed to a silver I badge underneath his prefect's one. Katherine unconsciously touched hers that was over her heart. "A group of students that are handpicked by Professor Umbridge due to their allegiance to the Ministry of Magic. Anyways, we do have permission to dock points. So, that will be five points from Granger for insulting our new Headmistress . . . . Macmillan, five from you for talking back to me. . . . Five because I don't like you, Potter . . . Weasley's shirt is untucked, so that's five . . . Oh, and I forgot Granger's a Mudblood, so that's ten. . . ."

Ron started to pull out with wand, Hermione pushed it away.

"Smart move, Granger." Draco breathed. "New Head, new times, new fun. Be good, Potty, Weasel King."

Draco walked away. Katherine started to follow him, but Hermione grabbed her arm. Katherine jerked it away and plastered a sneer on her face.

"Don't touch me, Granger." Katherine snarled, brushing her hand at the spot where Hermione's had been. "Now, I'll have to wash this."

"It's probably better to burn it, Katherine." Draco said with an identical sneer on his face. "Mudblood stains."

Katherine could tell by the shocked and hurt look on Hermione's face that Harry had not told her or Ron about her position as a spy.

Draco put a hand on her shoulder and led her away. Katherine tried to erase her friends' faces from her mind, but failed.

They went inside the Great Hall and Filch came over to her. He handed a note from Umbridge. It was an order to bring Harry to her office.

Katherine turned on her heel and marched towards the entrance of the Great Hall where her Gryffindor friends were. Hermione looked away as she bit on her lip. Ron and Harry were glaring at her.

"Potter," Katherine said, lifting her chin up to give herself an air of authority. "Professor Umbridge wishes to speak with you."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Just come along." Katherine said, grabbing his arm. Harry jerked his arm out of his grasp and they walked in silence to Umbridge's office.

Katherine grabbed his shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Do not drink a single thing she gives you."

Harry gave her a look as she knocked on Umbridge's office. An expired honey voice told them to come in. Katherine opened the door and shoved Harry roughly inside.

"Potter for you, Professor." Katherine said.

"Thank you, Katherine." Umbridge said, leaning her chin on her hands. "Tell me, how are you and Mr. Malfoy finding the responsibility of being Captains of the Inquisitorial Squad?"

"Draco is enjoying it very much. I love it. I usually walk around like I'm powerful, now I have a reason as to why I feel that power." Katherine smiled.

"You're a Captain of the Inquisitorial Squad?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Potter. So, you better behave." Katherine smirked at him.

* * *

><p>That night, Katherine came into the Common Room late. Umbridge had created a rule that allowed Inquisitorial Squad members to not have a curfew. Katherine had been using it to use the Room of Requirement to work out and practice fencing.<p>

Everyone had gone to bed, except a red haired fourth year. Katherine stifled a yawn as she walked over to the youngest Weasley.

"Hey, Ginny." Katherine said. Ginny looked up at her and glared with unrestrained hatred. Katherine looked taken aback.

"You insulted Hermione." Ginny accused. Katherine looked down at her shoes in shame.

"Where is she?" Katherine asked.

"She's gone to bed." Ginny answered.

"I must go speak with her." Katherine said. She tried to walk away, but Ginny stood up and blocked her path.

"She doesn't want to see you." Ginny said.

"Ginny," Katherine said.

Ginny took out her wand and stuck it in Katherine's face. Katherine got an amused twinkle in her eye as she chuckled.

"Ginny, you think that this will scare me?" Katherine asked smiling.

Ginny pressed her wand in between Katherine's eyes. Katherine continued to seem highly amused.

"You haven't seen my Bat Bogey Hex, have you?" Ginny asked.

"I can't say I have." Katherine said, her eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Would you like to see it?" Ginny asked, pressing her wand harder into Katherine's brow.

"Not really." Katherine smiled.

"You're right. Bat Bogey wouldn't make my point." Ginny said, putting her wand away.

"Your point?" Katherine asked, still smiling.

"That you can't get away with insulting friends." Ginny said.

Katherine saw the fist coming. She could have caught it. She could have stopped it. But she didn't. She stood with her hands at her side.

When Ginny's fist connected with her nose, Katherine did not flinch or gasp in pain. She took the hit and her nose broke. She felt wetness start to cover her face.

Ginny looked at her in surprise.

"Didn't that hurt?" Ginny asked.

"Yes." Katherine said.

"Why didn't you stop me or hit me back?" Ginny asked.

"Because, Ginny," Katherine said as she took out a handkerchief to wipe her face. "I don't fight back when I deserve to be punched."

"Why are you so bloody noble?" Ginny asked. She threw her fist at Katherine again, who grabbed her wrist.

"I'm afraid, Ginerva, that I do not deserve to be punched for being noble." Katherine said smiling softly through the blood. Katherine released Ginny's wrist.

"What about for being a prat? Can I punch you for that?" Ginny asked, nearly snarling.

Katherine smiled at her. "Yes, but not now. My nose is damaged enough for one night, don't you think?"

Katherine didn't wait for Ginny's response. She turned on her hell and went up to her room. She searched through her trunk and found the Muggle first aid book the Peters, her ex-foster parents, had given her for Christmas.

"Broken nose, broken nose, broken nose." Katherine muttered under her breath as she searched through the book. "Ah ha!"

Katherine snapped her nose back in place and gasped in silent pain.

_I think I prefer it when other people inflict pain upon me than when I do it to myself._ Katherine thought as she put the book back.

"Katherine?" A quiet voice asked. Katherine turned and saw Hermione was awake.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." Katherine said as she got up and went to go sit on her bed.

"Goodness! What happened to your face?" Hermione asked. Katherine mentally cussed at herself for not cleaning the blood off her face.

"Nothing." Katherine lied smoothly. She picked up a handheld mirror and wiped the blood away.

Hermione said nothing and was watching Katherine like she was the family dog that had just got rabies. Katherine finished cleaning herself and refused to meet Hermione's stare.

Katherine knew that she had made a mistake in telling Harry. She was risking that more people would find out about her being a spy. She could not do her job if people found out. And if she failed, Dumbledore would never let her join the Order.

Katherine looked up at Hermione, forcing herself to adopt a cold demeanor. Hermione looked taken aback.

"Goodnight, Granger." Katherine said. She lied down on the mattress and closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see Hermione's face. But she could imagine the hurt look.

_This is the consequence of wanting to do my duty too well._ Katherine thought as she groaned inwardly. _I'm such an awful person._

* * *

><p>It was the start of the Summer term and Katherine had to attend a meeting with her Head of House about her future career. At two, Katherine walked into Professor McGonagall's office.<p>

"Afternoon, Professor." Katherine greeted with a smile.

"Have a seat, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said. Katherine noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see Umbridge sitting in the corner with a clipboard. Katherine flashed her a smile.

"Hello, Professor." Katherine said as she took her seat. Umbridge nodded a greeting.

"The point of this meeting, Miss Peters, is to talk out any career ideas you may have, and to decide which subjects you'll take should you continue into your sixth and seventh years." Professor McGonagall said. "Have you any thoughts on what you would like to do once you leave Hogwarts?"

"Um," Katherine said.

"I remember from our last conversation that you had mentioned an interest in politics, perhaps a career at the Ministry?" Professor McGonagall prompted as she looked through some sheets of parchment. "I also see that you have one of the top grades in your Political Science course."

"I find that rather scary, Professor." Katherine said as a smile tugged at her lips. "A fifteen year old politician. Scary, scary thought."

"So, how about the career at the Ministry?" Professor McGonagall asked. Katherine thought for a moment.

"I think that would be nice." Katherine said sincerely. "But I think I'd like to do something else."

"If I may interrupt-" Professor Umbridge said.

"You may not, but I doubt that you won't." Professor McGonagall muttered.

"But if Miss Peters wants to join the Ministry, I would be happy to get her a job in a senior department." Umbridge said, ignoring McGonagall. Katherine turned to her and smiled appreciatively.

"Why, thank you, Professor." Katherine said, inclining her head.

"What would you like to do instead of joining the Ministry?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Play Quidditch. I'm a pretty good Chaser." Katherine smiled smugly.

"You can't play Quidditch forever." McGonagall pointed out. "What would you like to after that?"

"I'd like to teach History of Magic." Katherine said, and then she smiled. "That is if Binns ever retires."

"I am sure the student population will rejoice at receiving an energetic History of Magic professor." McGonagall said. Katherine smiled and her eyes lit up with ideas. Already, she was starting to plan lectures.

"I think that's what I'd like to do." Katherine said.

"Let's move on to the classes you'll take next year." Professor McGonagall said as she picked up a quill. "What would you like to take?"

"I'd like to continue with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, History of Magic and Political Science." Katherine said.

"The Political Science course is very advanced and very demanding." McGonagall said, peering at Katherine through her spectacles.

"Sounds like fun." Katherine smiled confidently. "I like challenges."

* * *

><p>Speaking of challenges, Quidditch was a big one. The first practice after the end of the D.A., Angelina had pulled Katherine aside.<p>

"Now, I know you're Umbridge's pet," Angelina had said. Katherine had bristled at the comment, but held her tongue. "And if you make us lose or worse than we already are, I will kick you off the team. Understand?"

"Angelina, I'm all for Gryffindor." Katherine had said. "If you haven't noticed, I have yet to take any points from Gryffindor. Besides, I don't think it's possible for me to lose."

It was the final match of the season, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Gryffindor had a chance to win the Cup, but Ron's skills as Keeper were making that goal impossible.

The Gryffindor team walked out onto the pitch. Katherine jumped on her broom and Madam Hooch started the game. Ravenclaw Captain Roger Davies managed to beat Katherine to the Quaffle. He dodged the other Chasers, took a shot, and scored. The Gryffindors groaned as the Slytherins started singing "Weasley is Our King."

Ron tossed the Quaffle to Angelina, who took off down the field. She threw it to Katherine, who redirected the pass to Katie. Katie got tackled by Bradley and the Quaffle was stripped.

Bradley flew off towards the goal. Katherine chased after him, but she knew she wasn't going to reach him in time. Ron was the only thing that stood between Bradley and the goal.

_Crap!_ Katherine thought as she urged her broom to fly just a little bit faster; it had reached its maximum velocity.

Ron sat on his broom like a deer in the headlights as Bradley readied himself to shoot. The Quaffle went flying to one of the goals.

"YES!" Katherine screamed triumphant as a very surprised Ron looked at the Quaffle in his hands. He finally saved a goal.

The Gryffindors screamed in surprise and happiness. Ron passed Katie the Quaffle and she flew towards the Ravenclaw goals. Katherine raced in front of her and held up her hand to show she was open. Katie threw it to her and Katherine dodged Davies.

Katherine was about fifteen yards away from the goals. She threw the Quaffle up and pulled her broom out from under of her. She adopted a batting posture and whacked the Quaffle.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORE!" Lee Jordon yelled. The red and gold clad supporters cheered.

Katherine sat on her broom again. The Ravenclaw Keeper threw the Quaffle to Bradley, but Katherine intercepted it. She shot it like a bullet at the right goal post.

"GRYFFINDOR SCORES!" Lee Jordon yelled. The Gryffindors were turning into maniacs.

The Ravenclaw Keeper threw into to Davies, who turned around to see Katherine knock the ball out of his hands. Katherine came up to the goal, feigned left, and shot in the right goal.

"THIRTY TO TEN GRYFFINDOR!" Lee shouted.

Katherine flew over to the Gryffindors who were bowing to her and shouting "We are not worthy!" Katherine pumped his fist into the air as she passed them.

The game continued with neither side scoring. The Ravenclaw Chasers managed to strip the Quaffle from all the Gryffindor Chasers. There were many chances for Katherine to do the Wronski Feint, but she didn't try the move. Ravenclaw hadn't scored because Ron was actually doing a good job. The Gryffindor side of the stadium had started singing their version of "Weasley is Our King."

Katherine was flying after Bradley, when a Bludger slammed into the side of her head. She felt her grip on her broom and consciousness slipping. She barely registered hitting the ground.

* * *

><p>When Katherine woke up, she was lying on her back on grass. Her head was ringing and felt like someone had just whacked it with a blunt ax. Katherine sat up and saw that the stadium was nearly empty. In the distance, she could hear people singing "Weasley is Our King" and she hoped it was the Gryffindors.<p>

Katherine stood up too quickly and leaned against her broom until the world stopped spinning. Once the dizziness stopped, Katherine walked to the changing rooms. As she was pulling off her Quidditch robes, she realized something; everyone left her. No one bothered to make sure she was okay nor did they take her to the Hospital Wing. Her hands shook in anger.

"Oh no! Let's not help the person who scored three times in a row! Of course not! Why would we do that?" Katherine muttered angrily.

She pulled on her school robes, shouldered her broom, and walked to Gryffindor Tower. She was trying to calm herself down.

When Katherine reached the Common Room, there was a party going on. People were cheering about Gryffindor winning the Quidditch Cup. Katherine grinned to herself, but she knew better than to try to join the party. She tried to slip past quietly and quickly to get to her room.

Unfortunately that was not to be.

"Well, look who it is. Captain Katherine Peters of the Inquisitorial Squad." A Gryffindor snarled. Someone stopped the music and the room went silent.

"Is there now a law against having parties?" Another Gryffindor said. "Educational Decree Number 492: No parties for Quidditch victories unless the Slytherins win."

The Gryffindors laughed cruelly.

Katherine picked up a glass of butterbeer and raised it in a toast.

"To Gryffindor." Katherine said, taking a sip. No one returned the toast. Katherine put the glass down and walked towards the stairs.

"I was the one who hit the Bludger." Jack Sloper said.

Katherine froze on the second step and tensed. She erased her face of any anger before she turned around. She raised her eyebrow and tried to look very amused.

"Oh," Katherine said with a fake smile on her face. "Why?"

"You aren't trying anymore. You were practically giving them the Quaffle." Jack said.

"How am I not trying? I score three times in a row." Katherine said, using all of her self control to keep herself from yelling.

"D'you know how many chances you had to do the Wronski Feint? Ten times! If you did it, you would have scored!" Sloper yelled.

"You hit a Bludger at me because I am not doing a move that I haven't done since the start of the season?" Katherine said, trying to keep calm.

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid, Peters!" Sloper threatened as he took out his wand. Seamus Finnigan stopped Sloper.

"Careful, Jack. I saw Katherine attack Fred and George as they left and they were her friends." Seamus said. Katherine bristled. She had sent some curses at the twins, but aimed it so that she would miss.

"I also heard she took points away from someone because they were Muggleborn." Someone said from the back of the crowd. Katherine's jaw twitched, but she knew that it would do no good to get angry.

"I heard that she said the M word to someone." Someone else said. Katherine lost it.

"Did you also believe that if you throw a bucket of water over me, I melt?" Katherine yelled.

The Gryffindors stared at her. Then, someone filled a bucket with icy water and dumped it over Katherine's head. As she shook the water out of her eyes, the Common Room roared with laughter.

Katherine turned around and walked up the stairs with all of the dignity she could muster. Once she was inside her dormitory, she shed the wet robes and put on her pajamas. She sat down on the edge of her bed and ran a hand wearily over her face.

"What did you expect, Peters?" She muttered to herself. "You could win every Quidditch game for them, but they'd still hate you for being a prat."

Katherine heard someone coming up the stairs. She quickly dived under the covers and pretended to be asleep. She heard the floor creak as someone walked over to the bed on her right, Hermione's.

"Katherine?" Hermione whispered. Katherine's eyes flew open and she adopted the cold attitude she used on everyone, except Draco and Umbridge.

"Yes, Granger?" Katherine asked, staring at her with unfeeling eyes.

"Congratulations on the game." Hermione said. Katherine allowed a soft smile to appear on her face.

"Thanks." Katherine said, and then continued in a whisper so it would seem that she did not want Hermione to hear. "But it was a team effort."

* * *

><p>It was O.W.L.S. time. Katherine was spending most of her time studying in the library because the Common Room was a hazardous place for her. She had Charms on Monday, Transfiguration on Tuesday, and Herbology on Wednesday. She thought she did alright on all of them, but five years of schooling had taught her not to get her hopes up.<p>

On Thursday, she had her Defense Against the Dark Arts test and Katherine felt like it was the easiest thing in the world. She had a free day on Friday because it was the Ancient Runes exam. She spent the weekend studying for Potions.

Monday was Potions. Care of Magical Creatures was on Tuesday. Wednesday morning was the Astronomy theory and the afternoon was Divination. The practical for Astronomy was at midnight.

Katherine discovered that she did not have the gift of the Inner Eye. She didn't care because she knew that the future is not set in stone, so she didn't think that one could predict it.

Katherine ascended the stairs of the Astronomy Tower by herself. Everyone single one of the Gryffindors had been avoiding her or she them.

Each student had a telescope to themselves. Katherine next to Hermione, who was on Harry's left.

About an hour or so had passed, when Katherine heard a loud bang coming from Hagrid's cabin. Katherine ducked out from her telescope to see a group of people attacking Hagrid led by a short, toady-looking one.

"No!" Hermione cried.

"My dear!" One of the examiners said. "This is a test!"

No one was paying attention to their star charts. Jets of red light were flying at Hagrid, but they seemed to be bouncing off of him. Fang jumped in front of one of the Stunners and went down. Hagrid picked him up with a roar and threw the man who stunned Fang ten feet away.

"Look!" Parvati screamed as she pointed to the front doors of the castle. A lone figure sprinted over to Hagrid's cabin.

"_How dare you!_" The figure shouted as she ran.

"It's McGonagall!" Hermione whispered.

Katherine's fingers wrapped under her wand. She was tempted to Summon her broom and fly to help McGonagall and Hagrid.

"Leave him alone!" McGonagall shouted.

The Summoning spell was on the tip of Katherine's tongue eager to be said.

"On what grounds are you attacking him?" McGonagall shouted. "He has done-"

Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender screamed. Katherine rose to her feet, her face arranged in a snarl. Four Stunners had shot out from the figures attacking Hagrid and slammed into McGonagall's chest. She flew backwards and landed her on her back. She wasn't moving.

"Merlin!" One of the examiners shouted.

"RUDDY COWARDS!" Hagrid bellowed. Hagrid swiped at two of the guys and they fell unconscious.

"Get him!" Umbridge shouted. But her remaining helper tripped over one of his unconscious colleagues and did not get up. Hagrid turned and ran with Fang on his shoulders.

There were a long minute of silence. Katherine collapsed back into her chair. She couldn't believe it; McGonagall and Hagrid were the last of the Order at Hogwarts. Umbridge had taken over and destroyed any resistance.

"Five minutes left." The examiner said.

* * *

><p>History of Magic was to take place Thursday afternoon. Harry saw, to his surprise, Katherine sitting in the Common Room, and, even more surprising, Hermione was speaking with her. Curious, Harry walked over to them. History of Magic were spread out in front of them and Hermione was listening intently as Katherine lectured about some goblin war or something like that. Katherine stopped talking when she saw Harry.<p>

"I only exist when you need something, don't I, Potter?" Katherine said harshly, but then she smiled.

"Katherine's helping me study for History of Magic, Harry." Hermione explained. Katherine picked up some of her notes to make room for Harry.

"Join us." Katherine said. Harry sat down, but watched her warily.

Katherine started lecturing and Harry found himself to be utterly fascinated. Soon, more and more fifth years, and even some seventh years, were sitting around her. Some abandoned their notes from Binns and started writing down what Katherine said.

Harry could tell that Katherine was resisting the urge to smile. She was able to summarize five years of Binns' droning into a two hour story. The lunch bell rang and Katherine smiled apologetically.

"That should be enough for everyone to get an E." Katherine said. The crowd dispersed.

"An E?" Hermione asked flabbergasted.

"Hermione, you'll do fine." Katherine smiled.

* * *

><p><em>History of Magic is so easy<em>. Katherine thought as she scribbled down another answer.

Suddenly, Harry screamed behind her and fell out of his desk. Katherine slipped out of hers and knelt by Harry. He was thrashing and screaming and holding his scar.

"Harry! Harry!" Katherine yelled as she shook him. He stopped screaming and woke up. Professor Tofty, the examiner, hurried over to him.

"My dear boy," Professor Tofty said. Katherine helped Harry to his feet. Professor Tofty led him out of the Great Hall. Katherine returned to her test, but Harry didn't.

Katherine was patrolling the corridors with Umbridge, when Umbridge froze and her eyes glinted maliciously.

"Someone's in my office, Katherine." Umbridge said. "Assemble the Inquisitorial Squad."

"Yes, ma'am." Katherine said. She pulled out her wand and said the spell to signal the Inquisitorial Squad.

Katherine and Umbridge hurried to her office. The rest of the Inquisitorial Squad met up with them in the hallway before the one that contained Umbridge's office.

Once they rounded the corner, the corridor exploded with spells. Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Luna were fighting the Inquisitorial Squad.

"With me, Peters." Umbridge commanded.

"Yes, ma'am." Katherine said.

She stood in between Umbridge and the students. Katherine produced a Shield Charm as she and Umbridge crept towards the door. Ron jumped in front of them. Katherine was about to tell ask him to move.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Umbridge said. Ron flew backwards. Katherine sent him an apologetic look as Umbridge went inside her office. Katherine heard the cries as the Inquisitorial Squad grabbed her friends.

Umbridge walked forward and Katherine could see a boy using her fireplace. Umbridge grabbed his head and dragged him out by his hair. She was pulling Harry's head back far enough to where it looked like she was trying to slit his throat.

"Take his wand." Umbridge barked. Katherine took Harry's wand and put it in her inside coat pocket.

The Inquisitorial Squad came through the door. They each handed Katherine their victim's wand. Katherine put them all in her inside coat pocket, except Ginny's. Katherine made eye contact with Ginny and scratched her nose. Ginny looked confused.

Hermione was pinned against the wall by Millicent Bulstrode. Draco was leaning against the window looking very smug. Ron was being restrained by Warrington. Neville was in a headlock from Crabbe and was looking like he was about to be suffocated.

"Crabbe, loosen your grip." Katherine barked. Crabbe did as he was told.

Ginny was struggling with the Slytherin student that was holding her. Luna was being held, but she looked up at the ceiling as if she found the pink paint interesting. Umbridge threw Harry into a chair.

Katherine took a step closer to the struggling Ginny. They made eye contact and Katherine scratched her nose again. Ginny blinked, and then a light bulb went off in her head and she nodded.

Ginny freed herself from the Slytherin and charged towards Katherine. As she screamed, "TRAITOR!" she slammed her fist into Katherine's nose. Katherine took the hit without flinching. She grabbed the red haired girl's wrist and twisted her arm behind her back. Ginny winced in pain. Katherine slipped Ginny's wand into the Weasley girl's sleeve as she shoved her back to the Slytherin student.

Katherine's nose was broken. She snapped it back into place and Draco handed her his handkerchief so that she could wipe her face.

"Who were you talking to, Potter?" Umbridge demanded. "Dumbledore? The half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I heard she's too ill to speak . . ."

Draco and some other Inquisitorial Squad members laughed. Katherine's hands shook with anger and she put them in her pocket so no one would notice. She saw Harry shaking in rage, too.

"None of your business." Harry snarled.

Umbridge's smile disappeared.

"Very well, I offer you the chance to tell me." Umbridge said. "But I suppose I'll have to force you. Draco, go get Professor Snape."

Draco left the office. There was silence, except for the struggles of some of the prisoners. Ron's lip was bleeding on Umbridge's carpet. Ginny was trying to kick the Slytherin girl who was holding her upper arms in a tight grip. Neville couldn't move in Crabbe's headlock. Hermione was attempting to push Millicent Bulstrode off of her, but it wasn't working. Luna had changed to looking out the window as if the proceeding bored her.

Draco returned with Snape.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" Snape asked as he looked around at the students with indifference.

"Yes, Professor Snape," Umbridge said, smiling. "I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, please."

"You used my last bottle to interrogate Potter." Snape replied. "Unless you want to poison him, I can't help you."

"Go." Umbridge said. Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry shouted. Katherine turned to look at Harry. She flicked her gaze to Ginny, who nodded. "He has Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

Snape had stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge cried. "What is Padfoot? What is he talking about?"

Snape looked at Harry, which an unreadable look on his face.

"No idea." Snape said, before he left the office.

Umbridge took out her wand. She paced in front of Harry.

"You're forcing me, Potter." Umbridge said. "The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"No!" Hermione said. Katherine took an step forward, a hand on her wand.

Umbridge was staring at Harry with an eager, nasty look on her face.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor!" Hermione cried.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him." Umbridge said as her wand rotated, picking which part of Harry's body would hurt the most. Katherine stepped forward and put a hand on Umbridge's wand, attempting to lower it.

"Professor, I think the Ministry will find out." Katherine said in a calm voice as she channeled Kingsley.

"Cornelius never knew that I ordered the Dementors after Potter over the summer." Umbridge countered. Katherine left go of Umbridge's wand and tried to mask her look of disgust.

"It was you?" Harry gasped. Umbridge pressed her wand into his lightning bolt scar.

"Someone had to act." Umbridge said as she took a deep breath. "_Cru-_"

"NO!" Hermione shouted. "No! Harry, you have to tell her!"

"No!" Harry yelled.

"We'll have to . . . oh, Harry . . . what's the point?" Hermione began to cry into Millicent Bulstrode's robes, who basically ran to the other side of the room. Katherine went over to Hermione.

"Well, well!" Umbridge said triumphantly. "Little Miss Questions is going to give us some answers. Tell me, girl, tell me."

"Er-my-nee-no!" Ron gagged.

Ginny was staring at Hermione in shock. Neville was gazing at her like she was insane. Katherine looked down at Hermione and noticed that though Hermione's shoulder's were shaking, there were tears.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said.

"That's right, girl!" Umbridge said as she grabbed Hermione and threw her into another chair. "Who was Potter contacting?"

"He was trying to contact Professor Dumbledore . . ." Hermione said.

Ron froze, Ginny stopped trying to kick her captor, and Luna finally gave the incident her attention. Katherine blinked in surprise. Neither Umbridge or the rest of the Inquisitorial Squad noticed any of this.

"You know where Dumbledore is?" Umbridge asked eagerly.

"No. We were trying all the places we could think of-" Hermione said.

"Argh!" Umbridge shouted in disappointment.

"We need to tell him something important!" Hermione wailed, holding her face tighter to hide the absence of tears.

"Yes? What is it?" Umbridge asked, getting excited.

"We want to tell him that his weapon is ready." Hermione choked.

"Weapon?" Umbridge's eyes seemed to pop out of her head. "You've been developing a weapon to use against the Ministry on Dumbledore's orders?"

"Y-yes." Hermione sputtered.

"What kind of weapon?" Umbridge demanded.

"We don't k-k-know." Hermione said, sniffing. Umbridge straighten herself.

"Take me to it." Umbridge ordered.

"I'm not showing _them_." Hermione said, looking at the Slytherins and Katherine.

Umbridge looked a Hermione for a long moment, and then spoke in what she thought was a motherly voice. "Alright, dear, you, me, and Potter can go see it, shall we? Get up-"

"Professor," Draco said eagerly. "I think some of the Squad should come with you."

"I think I can handle two wandless teenagers, Malfoy." Umbridge snapped. "You remain here and make sure no one escapes."

"They'll be here when you get back, Professor." Katherine promised.

"Good." Umbridge said, before she pushed Hermione forward. "Lead on."

Katherine plopped down in a chair once Umbridge was gone. Draco sat down in a chair next to her.

"Is there still blood on my face?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah, here." Draco took back his handkerchief and gently cleaned up Katherine's face.

"How does my nose look?" Katherine asked.

"Want me to fix it?" Draco asked.

"That bad?" Katherine raised an eyebrow, and then sighed. "Please."

Draco pressed his wand lightly against her nose. "_Episkey._"

Katherine sighed in relief as the pressure left her nose.

"I don't understand, it worked last time." Katherine muttered.

"What did?" Draco asked.

"Snapping it back in place." Katherine said.

"Did you have a mirror last time?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. That probably helped." Katherine said.

Katherine stood up and looked at her nose in the mirror on the wall by Ginny. Katherine and Ginny made eye contact and Katherine winked. Katherine turned on her heel and walked over to Draco. She had her wand hidden up her right sleeve.

"Draco." She said. He looked up, smiling. She rested her left hand against his cheek. He closed his eyes with a content smile on his face. Suddenly, Katherine pushed Draco's chair and made it flip over.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine cried. The Stunner hit the Slytherin holding Ginny, who brought out her own wand and Stunned Warrington. Katherine tossed the newly released Ron his wand.

Draco got to his feet and tried to hex Ginny, but Katherine tackled him. They wrestled each other for each other's wands. Katherine had Draco pinned underneath her. She straddled him as she raised her fist and hesitated.

Katherine couldn't hurt her brother. Draco saw she hesitated and used it to his advantage. He knocked her off of him and he was the one pinning her down. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. Their faces were inches apart.

"Get off, Draco." Katherine said.

Draco's eyes flitted down to her lips. She was immobile underneath him. He leaned down. There was barely time for Katherine to register the kiss; Ginny had Stunned Draco, and then kicked him off of Katherine. Ginny helped Katherine up.

All of the Slytherins were lying unconscious on the ground. Katherine pulled out Neville's and Luna's wands and gave them to their respective owners.

"Voldemort's got Sirius?" Katherine asked.

"Harry dreamed about it during the History of Magic exam." Ron explained.

"Ah." Katherine said as everything made sense. "Where?"

"The Department of Mysteries. In the Ministry." Ginny said. Katherine looked the four faces in front of her.

"Then we better get going." Katherine said.

* * *

><p><strong>Anyone catch the <em>Wicked<em> reference? **


	27. Chapter 27

**Finally, the battle. I've been daydreaming about this since chapter 9. The battle follows the book version. I was going to do the movie, but I decided that it was more realistic that only a few of them actually managed to not get seriously hurt.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 27<em>

Katherine, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna ran to the Forbidden Forest where they ran into two blood soaked friends. Katherine handed Harry and Hermione their wands.

"How d'you escape?" Hermione asked.

"Katherine attacked them." Ginny said. Hermione raised her eyebrows at Katherine.

"I've always been on your side." Katherine said. "I'm sorry . . . for everything."

"It's alright." Hermione said.

"Where's Toady -I mean Umbridge?" Katherine asked smirking.

"Some centaurs carried her off." Harry said smiling. "Hermione and I learned that it's not a good idea to insult them."

"So, Harry, does You-Know-Who really have Sirius?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Harry said. "I'm pretty sure he's still alive."

"So, how're we getting to London?" Neville asked.

Harry stared at Neville in surprise.

"_We?_" Harry repeated. "None of us have a broom, except Ron and Katherine, that's not being guarded by a troll."

"I've got a broom!" Ginny interjected.

"But you're not coming." Ron said.

"Excuse me, I care about Sirius just as much as you!" Ginny said, her jaw setting.

"You're too-" Harry started.

"I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who!" Ginny yelled.

"But-"

"We're all in the D.A." Neville said. "Wasn't it supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who? This is real or was the D.A. just a game?"

"Of course not-" Harry said impatiently.

"Then we're coming." Neville said.

"That's right." Luna said happily.

"Harry," Katherine said. "If Voldemort's got Sirius, we're going to need all the help we can get."

"It doesn't matter." Harry said through clenched teeth. "We don't know how to get there."

"We fly." Luna said.

"How?" Katherine interjected before Ron said something rude.

"Thestrals." Luna said, pointing behind Harry. Katherine looked, but did not see anything. Harry, however, walked over to a spot and raised his hand as he was stroking something.

"Those horse thingies you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it." Ron said.

"Yeah." Harry answered.

"How many?" Ron asked.

"Two." Harry replied.

"We need four." Hermione said.

"Five, Hermione!" Ginny snapped.

"I think there are seven of us." Luna said calmly.

"We can't all go!" Harry said angrily, as he pointed at Neville, Ginny, and Luna. "You're not involved-"

He didn't get to finish, because they started to protest. Katherine was rocking back on her heels impatiently. Katherine made eye contact with Harry and shot him a _We Don't Have Time For This_ look.

"Fine." Harry said. "But if we don't find any more thestrals, you can't come."

"They'll come." Ginny said confidently.

"And here they are." Luna said.

Harry and Luna helped the rest of them get on a thestral. Katherine was sitting on it and it was the weirdest thing ever. She could feel it breathing underneath her, but when she looked down, she saw the ground, which she was a few feet above.

"Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London," Harry said uncertainly to his thestral.

Harry's thestral did nothing, and then jumped up in the air, stretching its wings out. Katherine's did the same thing and they were flying fast than she ever had before.

Twilight fell and the sky turned into a dusky purple with some stars peeking out. Katherine watched Harry as they flew. He's seemed to trust her now; he did include her in the group going to save Sirius when he was telling the other three they couldn't come. Katherine moved her thestral closer to Hermione's.

"Hey!" Katherine called over the roaring wind. Hermione turned and smiled at her.

"Hey!" Hermione yelled.

"I'm sorry about everything!" Katherine yelled.

"You've already been forgiven!" Hermione yelled back.

"Doesn't mean I won't stop apologizing!" Katherine yelled, smiling.

The sky was getting rather dark, when Katherine's thestral started to descend. She could see the lights of London getting brighter and bigger as they got closer to the ground. The thestral's hooves clicked against the pavement and Katherine slid off. Everyone else managed to get off their thestral without any trouble, except Ron, who hit the pavement face first.

"This way." Harry directed as he walked into a battered telephone box. The seven of them piled inside it uncomfortably. Harry dialed into the receiver.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business." A female voice said.

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Katherine Peters," Harry said quickly. "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. We're here to save someone."

"Because the Ministry can't." Katherine whispered to Hermione.

"Thank you." The voice said. "Please take your badges and attach them to your robes."

Hermione passed out the badges. Katherine put hers on above her Inquisitorial Squad badge. The floor of the telephone box shuddered and it sunk down through the pavement. It dropped them off in the Atrium. Katherine opened the door slowly as she scanned for anyone, but it was empty.

"Coast's clear." Katherine said, frowning. "Does no one work at night?"

The seven of them stepped out. The only sound was the rush of water coming from the fountain. Katherine did a three sixty, but saw no one.

"Come on." Harry said and the seven of them ran to the lifts. They came across no one. They climbed into the nearest lift and Harry pressed the button for the Department of Mysteries level. They descended to that level and the doors opened.

Katherine stuck out her arm to stop everyone from stepping out. She stuck her head and checked for anyone.

"No one." Katherine said. "Harry-"

"We're running out of time." Harry interrupted.

Katherine withdrew her arm and they all went out. Harry went first with Katherine right on his heels. There was a plain black door in front of them. Harry stopped about six feet from it.

"Okay," Harry said. "Maybe some people should stay here as lookouts-"

"How are we suppose to warn you?" Ginny asked. "You could be miles away."

"We're coming." Neville said.

"Let's go." Katherine said.

Harry opened the door and rest followed him. Katherine shut the door behind them. They stood in a circular room that had many black identical doors. Suddenly, the walls started to rotate and the doors changed.

"Where do we go?" Ron asked, once the room stopped moving.

"In the dreams," Harry swallowed. "I went through the door at the end of the corridor into a dark room, and then I went into another room that . . . glitters. Let's try some doors."

Harry opened the door facing them. The first room contained a desk and a large vat that contained brains. Harry quickly shut the door.

"Wait!" Hermione said as she pulled out her wand. "_Flagrate!_"

An X appeared on the door. The room started to rotate again, but they quickly found the door that they had just gone through thanks to Hermione's quick thinking.

"Brilliant." Katherine complimented.

Harry walked to the door in front of them and opened it. The room was large and dimly lit. They were standing at the topmost tier of what looked like benches around a courtroom. On the lowered floor, there was a stone archway with a veil hanging down from it.

It was completely silent.

"Who's there?" Harry called, before he ran down the benches and reached the archway.

The veil rippled like someone had walked through it. Bu it was silent.

"Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Let's go." Hermione called, sounding extremely scared. Katherine put her hand on Hermione's arm.

"Harry, c'mon. He's not here." Katherine said.

"Okay." Harry said, but didn't move.

Everyone slowly walked down to Harry. He looked as if he was straining his ears to hear something. But it was silent.

"What are you saying?" Harry said loudly. Katherine and Hermione exchanged frightened looks.

"No one's talking, Harry." Hermione whispered.

"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded.

"I can." Luna breathed. "There are people there!"

"There's no one there!" Hermione said angry.

She grabbed Harry's arm, but he wouldn't move.

"Harry, we're here for Sirius!" Hermione said in a strained voice. Harry ripped himself away from the veil.

"Yeah, Sirius." He said. "Let's go."

Hermione grabbed Ginny, Ron grabbed Neville. Katherine walked behind Harry and Luna to make sure they didn't try to go back to the veil. They walked back into the circular room and Hermione drew an X on the door.

The doors spun again. When it stopped, Harry pushed open the door in front of them.

"This is it!" Harry said. "This way!"

Katherine chased after Harry as he ran through selves of glittering clocks. They ran down the narrow corridor and reached a door.

"This is it." Harry repeated.

"Harry, you take point." Katherine ordered. "Hermione and I will act as wing. Neville, Ginny, Luna, you act in the middle. Ron, take rear."

Everyone arranged themselves like she said. Harry pushed open the door. The room was as high as a church with towering shelves that carried dusty orbs. Harry edged forward and Katherine scanned the side.

"Clear." Katherine said.

"Clear." The others said.

"Row ninety-seven, right?" Hermione whispered.

"Yeah," Harry breathed. Katherine saw that they were in row fifty three.

"We need to go right." Hermione whispered.

"Keep your wands out." Harry said.

"Remember, people, constant vigilance!" Katherine said, smiling. Harry gave her an annoyed look. "Just trying to diffuse the tension."

Harry led the way. They passed row eighty-three . . . eighty-four . . . eighty-five. Katherine was listening for any movement and was ready to fire a Stunning Spell.

"Ninety-seven!" Hermione whispered.

They grouped around the end of the row and saw no one.

"He's down at the end." Harry said.

They followed Harry forward down to the end of the corridor. No one was there.

"Harry?" Hermione said.

"What?" He snarled.

"I-I-I don't think Sirius is here." Hermione whispered.

No one said anything. Katherine scanned the area and there was no sign of a struggle. She broke out of formation and looked around the entire. Nothing.

"Harry?" Ron called.

"What?" Harry asked, sounding downhearted.

"Have you seen this?" Ron asked.

"What?" Harry's tone changed to becoming excited.

"Your name's on it." Ron said pointing to an orb. Harry walked closer and picked the orb up.

"Very good, Potter." A voice drawled. "Now turn around and give that to me."

Harry turned around and Katherine ducked behind him. She knew that voice and she knew that it wouldn't be good to be caught by him. Katherine pulled Ginny behind her and the group closed around them. Katherine saw out black shapes closing all around them. A dozen lit wands were pointed at their hearts.

They were trapped and outnumbered. Katherine's brain start whizzing as she tried to think of a plan.

"Give it, Potter." Lucius Malfoy repeated.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry said.

The Death Eaters laughed. A harsh female voice cackled and said "The Dark Lord knew!"

"Give me the prophecy, Potter." Lucius said.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry repeated.

_"Where's Sirius?"_ The woman mimicked. Katherine's hands clenched in anger as she recognized that voice.

"I know he's here." Harry said.

"It's time your learn the difference between dreams and reality." Lucius said. The Death Eaters closed around them to where they were a few feet away.

"Just give us the prophecy!" The woman shrieked.

Harry stood up straighter and raised his wand. "No."

"Very well, then, baby Potter." She said, her eyes had a mad look in them.

"I SAID NO!" Lucius roared. "If it smashes-"

They wanted that prophecy and they were going to kill them to get it.

The woman tore off her mask. Bellatrix Lestrange's face may have been hollowed by Azkaban, but it was alive with fanaticism now.

Katherine had an idea.

"Harry, king and rook." She whispered.

He shook his head slightly. Katherine poked her wand into his back.

"King and rook, Potter." She said more fiercely.

He nodded his head. Katherine turned to Hermione slightly.

"Explosion." Katherine whispered so quietly Hermione almost missed it.

"NOW!" Harry yelled.

Katherine and Harry switched places. He and the other four shouted "_REDUCTO!_" in five different places.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine said, her wand pointed at Bellatrix. The witch deflected the spell, but could not fire back because the selves of prophecies were collapsing all around them.

"RUN!" Harry yelled from behind her. Katherine heard footsteps running behind her. Lucius and Bellatrix were using spells to make the dust disappear. Bellatrix's eyes gleamed as she caught site of Katherine.

"_Protego!_" Katherine yelled before Bellatrix could say anything. Katherine turned and ran after her friends.

A Death Eater was closing in on Hermione and was about to grab her. Katherine sprinted faster.

"_Stupefy!_" She said. The Stunner hit the Death Eater and he collapsed to the ground. Katherine jumped over his body only to be hit and be slammed painfully into the tile.

"What have you got there, Roddy?" Bellatrix called in a playful voice.

Katherine somersaulted forward and launched herself onto her feet. She ran past them.

"_Confundus!_" She yelled, hitting Rodolphus Lestrange, who turned around in confusion. Katherine hid behind some orbs and tried to stop her left arm from shaking. Katherine guessed that the violent shaking was from spell Lestrange hit her with.

"Leave Nott!" Katherine heard Lucius order. "We'll spilt into pairs. Don't hurt Potter until we have the prophecy, but do not kill him; he's the Dark Lord's to kill. Kill the others if they get in the way. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, go left. Crabbe, Rabastan, take the right. Jugson, Dolohov, take the door in front. Macnair, Avery, go that way. Rookwood, that way. Mulciber, you're with me."

The Death Eaters spilt up. Katherine waited a second and the shaking stopped. Katherine chosen a path and ran. She had no idea where the others were, but she needed to find them.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" Katherine heard a male voice yell from behind a door a few feet in front of her. "IN AN OFF-"

Katherine slammed into the door as she tried to open it. It was locked shut. She muttered a quick "_Alohomora!_" and it unlocked. She opened the door to see a Death Eater make a slashing movement and a purple flame came out of his wand and hit Hermione. The busy haired girl made a surprised face before collapsing.

"HERMIONE!"Harry yelled.

Katherine saw Neville crawl out from under a table only to have the Death Eater kick him hard in the face. Neville howled as his nose and wand broke. The Death Eater took off his mask to reveal himself to Harry.

Katherine's green eyes were burning with rage. She snuck up behind the Death Eater.

"_Petrificus Totalus._" She whispered with malice. The Death Eater fell to the floor like a board. Katherine flipped him over and recognized Antonin Dolohov. She drew back her foot and kicked like a football player at his face. Katherine smiled predatorily as she saw the blood pouring out of his face.

She turned on her heel and joined Harry and Neville, who were tending to Hermione. Katherine kneeled by her friend.

"Hermione! Hermione!" Harry called, trying to shake her awake. Katherine put two fingers on the vein in Hermione's throat.

"She has a pulse, but it's faint." Katherine whispered.

"She's alive?" Harry breathed.

"Have faith, Harry." Katherine whispered, but looked as if she was just amazed as him. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know; we've lost them." Harry said.

"You need to get out of here." Katherine said, looking Harry straight in the eye.

"Not without everyone else." Harry said.

"This isn't the time to play hero, Harry!" Katherine said frustrated. "They want you and that prophecy!"

"And they won't hurt me, but they'll kill all of you." Harry countered.

"Then get Neville and Hermione out of here." Katherine said. "The exit's over there. Get out of here and call the Order."

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked.

"Distract the Death Eaters until the Order gets here and protect the others." Katherine said.

"They'll kill you." Harry pointed out.

"I'm not afraid of death, Harry." Katherine said. "And besides, they're going to take you to Voldemort and that's way worse than death."

"I'm not leaving." Harry said.

"Ib coming wid you."Neville said through his bloody nose.

"What about Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Dake her wid us." Neville said.

"Fine." Katherine said as she picked up Hermione's wand. "Here, Neville."

"Dat was my dad's wand." Neville said quietly.

Katherine slung Hermione over her shoulder in a fireman's carry and stood up easily. Harry looked at her curiously.

"I've been working out." Katherine answered his unspoken question.

"Keep behind me." Harry said. They crept warily back into the circular room. They stared around, trying to figure out which door to try. Suddenly, a door on the right sprung open and three people fell out of it.

"Ron!" Harry said as he ran over to them. "Ginny, Luna, are you al-"

"Harry," Ron said giggling weirdly. "You look funny. . . ."

"What happened to him?" Katherine asked fearfully.

Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall so she was sitting. She clutched at her ankle, panting.

"I think her ankle's broken." Luna whispered. Her lip was bleeding. Katherine gently removed Hermione from her shoulders and put her on the ground.

"I think I can help." Katherine said, walking over to Ginny and kneeling down. "May I?"

"If you can help," Ginny said as she bit down on her lip due to the pain.

Katherine gently stretched out Ginny's leg and pushed up her pant leg. The ankle was swollen and pointing to the left.

"I need a straight piece of wood." Katherine said.

"Here." Neville said handing her his broken wand.

"Are you sure?" Katherine asked. He nodded.

Katherine took the two pieces and laid them next to her. Katherine pulled on her robe's sleeves and tore them off. Katherine looked up at Ginny as she put her hands on either side of Ginny's ankle.

"This may hurt." Katherine warned.

Katherine jerked Ginny's ankle so that it was pointing correctly. Ginny cried out in pain. Katherine picked up the pieces of wood and placed them on the side of Ginny's ankle. She then took one of her torn sleeves and wrapped it around the pieces of wood tight enough to keep the ankle from moving. Katherine took the other sleeve and wrapped up the rest of the ankle.

"That should hold it until we get back." Katherine said.

"Harry, we saw Uranus!" Ron giggled again. "Get it? Uranus!"

A bubble of blood burst from the corner of Ron's mouth.

"What happened to Ron?" Harry asked even more fearfully.

"I don't know what they've hit him with." Luna said.

"Harry, you've got the others, now go." Katherine said.

"And leave you?" Harry said.

"I'll keep them occupied. You go and get the Order." Katherine said as she stood up.

"Fine," Harry said reluctantly. "Luna, can you help Ginny?"

Luna helped Ginny to her feet and slung her arm around Luna's shoulder. Harry slung Ron's arm around his shoulder.

"There they are!" Bellatrix Lestrange shrieked as she and three other Death Eaters burst through a different door.

"_PROTEGO!_" Katherine shouted as she jumped in front of the teenagers. Her Shield Charm absorbed the Stunning Spells spent by the Death Eaters. Katherine looked over her shoulder to see Harry push Ron, Luna, and Ginny into another room, and then Harry jumped out to help Neville with Hermione. Katherine jumped through the door right as Harry slammed it in Bellatrix's face.

"_Colloportus!_" Harry shouted. Katherine heard bodies slam into the door on the other side.

"WE'VE GOT THEM! HERE THEY ARE!" A man yelled.

"We need to seal the doors." Harry said.

Harry, Neville, Luna, and Katherine went around sealing off all the doors in the brain room. Katherine heard Luna yell and turned to see Luna fly through the air, slam into a desk, and slide off not moving.

"Get Potter!" Bellatrix yelled. She ran at Harry and Katherine fired a Trip Jinx at her. Bellatrix stumbled, but it was enough for Harry to get out of the way.

"Harry, look, they're brains!" Ron giggled. "_Accio Brain!_"

Everyone, friend and foe, turned around to watch. The brain grew tentacles that were outstretched as if they were going to hug Ron.

"RON, NO!" Harry yelled.

The tentacles latched themselves to Ron and started to wrap like boa constrictors. Harry fired spell after spell, but it wouldn't let go.

"Harry, it's killing him!" Ginny screamed from her position on the floor. A Stunner hit her in the face and she fell over unconscious.

"_STUBEFY!_" Neville shouted, but nothing was happening.

Katherine, Neville, and Harry were the last ones left fighting. Katherine saw Harry hold up the prophecy above his head and watched him run up the room. The Death Eaters followed him.

"Neville, stay with Ron!" Katherine ordered as she ran after Harry.

Katherine followed the Death Eaters into a room and watched as Harry fell down all the stone steps on the archway room. He landed in the pit below the archway. The Death Eaters were laughing at him. Katherine saw Harry get to his feet and watched him jump onto the stage-like thing holding the archway.

Katherine watched in horror as the Death Eaters surrounded Harry. Dolohov had his wand pointed straight at Harry's face. Katherine tip-toed down the steps as quietly as she could.

"It's over, Potter." Lucius drawled. "Give us the prophecy."

"If you let the others go, I will." Harry said.

"You're not in a position to bargain." Lucius laughed. "There's ten of us and only one of you."

"He's dot alone!" A voice shouted. Katherine saw Neville running down from the other side of the room.

Neville started trying to fire Stunners at the Death Eaters, but it wasn't working. A Death Eater grabbed him and pinned his arms behind his back.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" Lucius sneered. "Your Gran must be used to losing family members to our cause . . ."

"Longbottom?" Bellatrix repeated getting a feverish look. "I've had the pleasure of meeting your parents-"

"I DOE YOU HAD!" Neville roared and he struggled even harder to get free.

"Stun him." A Death Eater said.

"No, no." Bellatrix said. "Let's see how long Longbottom lasts. Maybe a bit of screaming can convince Potter to give us the prophecy."

"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!" Neville yelled.

Bellatrix moved closer to him and raised her wand. "_Crucio!_"

Katherine winced as Neville collapsed and screamed on the floor. Katherine ran down the steps with her wand pointed at Bellatrix.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Katherine yelled. Bellatrix looked surprised as her wand left her grasp. Neville stopped screaming as the curse left him. Katherine kept running, grabbed Neville, pulled him up behind Harry, and she jumped in front of Harry.

"How dare you, girl!" Bellatrix snarled as she regained her wand.

Katherine pointed her wand at Bellatrix daringly.

"Try it, Auntie Bella, try it." Katherine drawled. "Do anything to me and you'll make Cissy very upset."

"Have you failed to teach your daughter manners, Lucius?" Bellatrix sneered.

"Katherine, what are you doing here?" Lucius asked.

"Helping my friend." Katherine said, drawing herself up.

Bellatrix cackled. "And you've done such a great job, girl."

"Why, thank you, Auntie." Katherine smiled sarcastically.

"Move out of the way, Katherine." Lucius ordered.

"No." Katherine said before she turned to Harry. "Give me the prophecy."

Harry looked at her, and then handed it over to her. Katherine turned to the Death Eaters, making sure they could see the prophecy.

"Here's how it's going to work," Katherine announced. "You are going to let Harry and the others go, and then I'll give you the prophecy once they're gone."

The Death Eaters stared at her.

"And what if we don't?" Bellatrix asked.

"I'll smash it." Katherine said simply.

"Or we could just take it from you?" Bellatrix offered.

"Un ah," Katherine scolded waving her wand at Bellatrix. "Hurt me and you'll hurt Cissy, remember?"

"I say we just take it." A Death Eater suggested. Katherine saw the door open and smirked. She turned slightly to Neville and Harry.

"Boys, I hope you've learned a lesson here today." Katherine said as she turned back to the Death Eaters. "Never make a deal with Death Eaters."

Katherine raised the prophecy above her head and let go. It smashed at her feet.

"Whoops." Katherine smiled.

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><p><strong>Lucius is surprised to see Katherine because he did not see her at the beginning nor did he see her when she remained behind to distract the Death Eaters.<strong>


	28. Chapter 28

**First, I forgot to say in the last chapter that King and Rook is a chess move where the King and the Rook switch places, but only if it is their first move. It is a way to place your King out of harm's way.**

**Second, I have been daydreaming about this chapter since Chapter 9 and I hope I did my daydreams justice.**

**Third, I've been rereading this fic and I am disgusted with myself for having many mistakes. So, I have decided to no longer be lazy and I will reread my chapters before I post them. I promise.**

**Fourth, read and review.**

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><p><em>Chapter 28<em>

Katherine smiled as Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Kingsley entered the room. Katherine's smile vanished as she twisted and knocked Neville and Harry to the ground. Spells exploded over their heads as angry Death Eaters tried to get Katherine back for dropping the prophecy.

Sirius came over to them and blocked the spells coming at them. Katherine and Harry helped to take out the attackers. The Death Eaters either fell or ran off.

"It's about time!" Katherine teased to Sirius.

"Well, I had to pick which shirt to wear." Sirius smiled. "Blue or red or black or grey? I mean, it's very hard to choose. I have to look my best."

Katherine laughed. "Well, good look keeping your shirt clean."

Katherine saluted Sirius before running off to go help Tonks fight Bellatrix. They were on the steps with Bellatrix about five steps higher up than Tonks. Katherine reached the bottom of the steps, when Bellatrix hit Tonks with a spell. Tonks collapsed and toppled down the stairs. Katherine grabbed her before she smashed her head against the stone. Katherine gathered Tonks into her arms and jumped into the dais.

A hex flew over her head as she landed. Tonks was bleeding on Katherine, who was crouched against the stairs.

Bellatrix cackled and made Katherine shiver in fear.

"Come out, come out, little nieces." Bellatrix cackled.

Katherine felt a moment of tantalizing fear. Here she was, crouched down in hiding, holding a profusely bleed Tonks, while her demented aunt was coming down to kill her.

"Don't you want to play, cousin?" Sirius asked, coming to Katherine's rescue. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Bellatrix and Sirius began to duel. They moved around the room, their wands moving like swords.

Lupin ran over to Katherine. He eased Tonks into his arms. Lupin looked at Katherine with concern.

"What happened?" Lupin asked.

"I don't know." Katherine said, running a hand through her hair. "Bellatrix hit her with some spell and . . . and she won't stop bleeding."

"It's alright." Lupin said, putting a hand on Katherine's shoulder. "I've got her now. You need to get the others and go!"

At that moment, a spell hit the floor and created a small crater next to Tonks's feet. Lupin and Katherine turned around to see the source of the spell; a Death Eater was acting like a sniper at the top of the steps.

"I'll take care of him." Katherine said, standing up.

She ran up the steps as fast as she could. The Death Eater didn't notice her because he was too engrossed in firing at Kingsley.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine said.

The red light zoomed over his head. The Death Eater turned to her and fired a spell at her.

"_Protego!_" Katherine said, but the spell managed to penetrate part of her shield. She flew backwards and landed hard on the stone. She jumped up and shot another Stunner at him.

He deflected it and a jet of green light came at her. Katherine hit the deck and it barely missed her.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Katherine yelled, but she didn't wait to see if the spell worked. "_Stupefy!_"

He deflected the Disarming Charm, but the Stunner knocked him off his feet. He slammed into the stone steps and didn't move.

The tide of the battle was turning in favor of the Order; Dumbledore had arrived. Death Eaters were dropping like flies.

Katherine surveyed the battle from the top of the steps. Mad-Eye was down and blood trickling from a head wound. Harry was trying to help Neville, who had been hit by a spell that made his legs jerk uncontrollably.

Sirius and Bellatrix were still dueling. Sirius easily dodged Bellatrix's jet of red light. "You can do better than that!" Sirius laughed.

A second jet of light hit him.

His eyes widened, but the laughter never left his face. He fell back into the veil and disappeared.

"NO!" Katherine yelled as Bellatrix screamed in triumph and Harry yelled, "SIRIUS!"

Lupin grabbed Harry. Katherine stood in shock. Dumbledore had captured all the other Death Eaters. Kingsley resumed Sirius's duel with Bellatrix. There was a bang and Kingsley was down. Bellatrix ran up the stairs on the other side of the room.

"SHE KILLED HIM! I'LL KILL HER!" Harry yelled as he ran after her. Katherine charged down the steps with the same intention in mind.

She ran faster than she knew she could; anger mixing with adrenaline made her legs move faster. Katherine ran through the brain room, jumped over puddles of a foul smelling liquid, leapt over Luna who was groaning, and over Hermione who still hadn't moved.

"Katherine, what?" Ginny asked.

"She killed Sirius!" Katherine yelled over her shoulder.

Katherine was gaining on Harry, and, therefore, gaining on Bellatrix. Katherine grabbed the door that Harry had just gone through before it shut. She ran to the nearest lift, jumped in, and paced impatiently as it rose to the Atrium.

"Did you love him, baby Potter?" Katherine heard Bellatrix mock as the lift let Katherine out. Katherine ran and could see Harry shaking with anger.

"_Crucio!_" Harry yelled.

The spell did nothing except make Bellatrix trip. The untamed black haired witch cackled at Harry's failure.

Katherine came up next to Harry and stopped. She pointed her Bristlecone Pine wand at her demonic aunt. Katherine's green eyes were filled with malice as she snarled, "_Crucio!_"

Bellatrix writhed on the ground, but did not scream. Bellatrix's body twisted like something was poking her in uncomfortable spots, but not in real pain.

Katherine knew how to fix that.

In the back of her mind, Katherine knew that if she just put a little more energy into the spell, Bellatrix would scream in true agony. Just a little more. Just a little more.

"You see, Harry, you've got to mean it." A high cold voice said from behind her.

Katherine's concentration broke. She turned around to stare into the scarlet eyes of Lord Voldemort. He looked at her as if he was almost impressed.

Her face twisted into a snarl full of wrath and hatred. "You killed Cedric."

Voldemort looked at her as if he was amused. As he opened his mouth to say something, Katherine's fist connected with his face. He stumbled back. Katherine was about to run forward to continue to attack them, but Bellatrix grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. Voldemort, eyes flaring, glided over to Katherine.

"How dare you touch me!" Voldemort snarled.

He raised his fist and threw it forward at her. Katherine made herself turn into dead weight and dropped. Voldemort ended up hitting Bellatrix, who flew backwards and let go of Katherine. Katherine turned quickly and joined Harry with their backs to each other. He was facing Voldemort and she was facing Bellatrix.

Master and servant laughed at them.

"You intend to fight us?" Bellatrix asked, cackling.

"Unless you're scared to fight fifteen year olds . . ." Katherine answered, shrugging as if it didn't matter if they fought or not.

The master and the servant stopped their laughing.

"Hello, Tom." A voice said from behind her. Katherine smiled as she recognized Dumbledore's voice.

Katherine smirked at Bellatrix and she raised her wand, ready for the fight. Katherine felt Harry leave as Dumbledore hit him with a spell that made him hide behind a statue. Katherine felt the energy of the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort going on behind her.

"Ready, Auntie?" Katherine smirked arrogantly.

Bellatrix's face twisted into a sneer. "Are-"

"_STUPEFY!_"Katherine yelled as she ran forward.

Bellatrix deflected the spell, but the force made her stumble backwards for a couple of steps.

"_Expelliar-_" Katherine started to say, but Bellatrix hit her with a spell.

Katherine flew backwards a couple of feet and landed on her jaw. She jumped up and ignored the pulsing pain. Bellatrix made the same slashing move that Dolohov had used on Hermione. Katherine threw herself to the side, but the spell cut off a half of an inch of her hair.

Katherine threw a smirk at Bellatrix, who responded with a half-mad one.

"Is that the best you can do? Dance around?" Bellatrix mocked, rolling her head back while her neck came forward.

"Well, I'm fifteen," Katherine shrugged. "But I expected better from you."

Bellatrix's smirk turned into a snarl and fired a volley of spells at Katherine.

"_PROTEGO!_" Katherine yelled.

The shield deflected some of the spells, which hit the ceiling and the walls, and made pillars fall around the dueling witches. The rest of the spells hit Katherine like a machine gun. With every hit, she flew higher into the air. The last spell made her flip over and land face down. Her head slammed into the end of a pillar.

_Get up! She's going to kill you! And then she'll kill Harry! Get up!_ Katherine thought as the world swirled around her in pretty shapes and colors.

A boot connected with her rib, it broke, and Katherine was flipped over onto her back.

"_Katherine,_" Bellatrix sang. "_Wakey, wakey, little Katie._"

Katherine swallowed and forced the dizziness to leave her. Breathing hurt. Opening her eyes hurt. Her head hurt.

A slap knocked the dizziness away.

Katherine opened her eyes to see Bellatrix's face inches away from hers. Katherine stared into the black eyes that were filled with hatred, malice, and mocking.

"You need to learn to obey me, girl." Bellatrix growled.

"Why?" Katherine asked. "You're going to kill me; there's no need."

Bellatrix smirked and straightened up. Her curved wand pointed at Katherine.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix said, smirking.

The spell hit Katherine and she could no longer understand how she managed to resist Barty Crouch Jr.'s version of the curse.

Agony filled every part of her body. Her legs jerked unnaturally. Her hands clenched and her arms tensed. She was writhing in agony and was close to screaming. Her eyes were shut closed in an attempt to ignore the pain.

Bellatrix's cackling brought Katherine to her senses. She would not give that _woman_ the satisfaction of being affected by _her_. Katherine willed her body to stop moving. She made herself as solid as a rock.

The curse was lifted.

Katherine opened her eyes to see Bellatrix looking at her with curiosity and hatred. Bellatrix placed her boot on Katherine's throat and slowly pressed down. Katherine gasped for any bit of air as the pressure increased.

_ I'm going to die. _Katherine thought. _I'm going to fail. I'm going to fail to keep Harry safe. I'm going to fail to keep my friends safe. I'm going to be known as a failure._

_ But I'll be with Cedric._

With that thought, Katherine no longer feared her death. She didn't care if she would be forever remembered as a failure; she'd have Cedric.

Katherine smiled as black spots appeared before her eyes. Just a few more seconds and she would be with him.

But Bellatrix removed her boot.

_I guess my job isn't finished here._ Katherine thought.

Katherine greedily sucked up air and tried to roll over onto her unhurt side, but Bellatrix kicked her onto her back.

"Have we learned our lesson?" Bellatrix asked.

Katherine couldn't help herself. "What lesson?"

Bellatrix's black eyes narrowed. "_Crucio!_"

Katherine was not ready at all for the second bout. Barty Crouch's Cruciatus was like accidently hitting your elbow compared to Bellatrix's. Katherine's body jerked and writhed in pure agony. Her right hand clenched so much that Katherine was afraid she going to snap her wand.

She was going to scream. She could feel it moving up her throat and into her mouth. The scream was on the tip of her tongue and she knew she couldn't hold it in much longer.

Katherine screamed not a scream, but, "_EXPELLIARMUS!_"

Bellatrix flew backwards over some of the pillars and the curse was lifted.

Katherine rolled over onto her side and gagged for air. She felt her blood and sweat mixing on her face. Everything hurt and someone was screaming distantly in her mind.

_Move._ _She's coming._ Katherine urged herself.

Katherine crawled behind a pillar and forced herself to be quiet. She was shaking and the screaming wouldn't leave her mind.

"Are we playing hide-and-seek now, little Half-Blood?" Bellatrix said in a mocking tone from behind Katherine.

_Steady. Steady._ Katherine told herself, adopting a General's tone. She forced her wand hand to stop shaking, but it wasn't obeying. Her left hand grabbed her right hand and held it steady.

"No answer? Did you fall asleep on me? " Bellatrix called as she searched around the pillars away from Katherine, and then she sang," _I told you not to do that._"

The predatory footsteps were getting closer. Katherine had to move now or continue to fight. She couldn't fight any longer. She was tired, losing blood, and running out of tricks.

Katherine jumped out from behind the pillar and quickly yelled, "_STUPEFY!_"

The spell hit Bellatrix's back and threw her out of the circle of fallen pillars and into Voldemort's sight. The wild witch did not move.

Katherine crumpled to her knees in relief.

_Harry._ She reminded herself.

With great effort, Katherine stood up and walked quickly over to Harry, who was safely hidden behind the fountain statue.

Katherine watched as Dumbledore created a cocoon of water and surrounded Voldemort with it. It seemed like Voldemort was going to drown, but then he disappeared. He was gone.

Katherine joined Dumbledore's side and scanned around the Atrium for any sign of the Dark Lord. She saw Harry move out from behind the fountain.

"Stay, Harry." Dumbledore ordered, sounding a bit frightened.

Harry yelled in pain and collapsed to the floor. Katherine watched in horror as Harry twisted his body in unnatural ways.

"_Kill me, Dumbledore . . ._" A voice that was not nor would ever be Harry's came out of the teenager's mouth.

Katherine fell to her knees as Harry screamed.

"Harry! Harry! Look at me! Get him out of you!" Katherine yelled as she realized that Voldemort was possessing Harry.

"_If there are things worse than death, Dumbledore, kill him. . . . You'll kill me._" Voldemort's voice mocked through Harry's mouth.

Katherine looked into Harry's eyes and saw malice, pain, hatred, pain, loathing, and pain.

"Harry, please." Katherine begged.

Harry's head looked up and locked eyes with her. Katherine saw the battle behind his eyes. The eyes that were changing from green to scarlet.

"Harry," Katherine whispered.

Suddenly, Harry whipped himself onto his back and opened his eyes, which were, thankfully, green.

Lord Voldemort stood over Harry.

"You're a fool." Voldemort said to Harry. "And you'll lose."

Katherine heard the sound of voices that heralded the arrival of the Ministry workers. Voldemort and Ministry workers stared at each other for a second. Suddenly, Voldemort glided forward, grabbed the unconscious Bellatrix, and vanished.

"He's back." Fudge gasped.

Katherine turned around to him. "Well, duh."

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><p><strong>I always say "Duh" when I watch the movie version and Fudge says, "He's back." It just seems like the natural thing to say. "Duh." Sorry, rambling.<strong>


	29. Chapter 29

**The last chapter for year five. Ten chapters. You know, the amount I said I was not going to have. Yes, so never listen to me when I say how long something's going to be.**

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><p><em>Chapter 29<em>

The _Daily Prophet_ photographers' cameras snapped and flashed photos of Harry and Katherine. Harry was just standing there, leaning on Katherine, with a dead look in his eyes. Katherine, however, was posing heroically.

"Dumbledore . . . I-I don't understand." Fudge sputtered, looking harassed.

"I will explain everything after I make sure Harry and Katherine are safely at school." Dumbledore said. "Send your Aurors down to the Department of Mysteries. There are a group of Death Eaters that have been apprehended by the Order of the Phoenix."

"But . . . but-"

"You will also sign an order removing Dolores Umbridge from Hogwarts. You will order your Aurors to stop looking for Hagrid." Dumbledore said as he pulled out his watch. "I will give you half an hour of my time."

Dumbledore picked up the decapitated head of the wizard statue. He tapped it and turned it into a Portkey.

"Professor, the others . . ." Katherine started to say.

"The Order will take care of them." Dumbledore promised. "Now, grab on."

Katherine's fingers wrapped around part of the head as Harry's did the same. Katherine felt the awful pull behind her navel and the Ministry melted away.

They landed in Dumbledore's office. The adrenaline rush had left Katherine and she felt every pain in her body. She wanted to collapse onto the floor and just fall asleep.

But one look at Harry changed her mind. Harry's eyes were dead and she could tell he was silently blaming himself for Sirius's death.

Katherine wrapped her arms around him. He buried his head into her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. She rubbed his back, but didn't say anything. She knew from experience that just because someone says, "Everything's going to be alright," doesn't mean that it is.

Harry sobbed into her shoulder and Katherine pressed her cheek against his head. His arms tightened around her and she winced as his touched her rib.

"Did Dumbledore send you with some message for my worthless great-great-grandson?" The portrait of Phineas Nigellus drawled. Harry's arms tightened and Katherine winced again.

More and more of the portraits started to wake up. Katherine kept holding Harry and rubbing his back.

"Does this mean that Dumbledore will be returning?" A red-nosed wizard's portrait asked.

Katherine nodded. The witches and wizards were surveying her and Harry with great interest. Harry let go of Katherine and backed away a few steps.

"Dumbledore thinks highly of you." The wizard said to Harry.

The empty fireplace burst into green flames and Dumbledore stepped out. The portraits applauded the Headmaster's return. Dumbledore slightly smiled.

"Thank you." He whispered.

Katherine sat down in one of the chairs and let her head roll backwards and rest against the chair. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It came out ragged. She cursed at the rib and hoped that it didn't puncture a lung.

"Well, you two," Dumbledore said. "Should be glad to know that none of your fellow students will suffer permanent damage."

Katherine opened her eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Mad-Eye? Tonks?"

"Alastor Moody is fine." Dumbledore said. "Nymphadora Tonks will have to spend some time in St. Mungo's, but she will be fine."

Katherine nodded and closed her eyes again.

"I know how you feel, Harry." Dumbledore whispered as he took a seat behind your desk.

"No, you don't." Harry snapped, his voice getting angrier.

"There's no shame in feeling pain, Harry." Dumbledore said. "It is your greatest strength."

"I don't want to talk about it." Harry said.

"Harry, this suffering means you're human-"

"THEN I DON'T WANT TO BE HUMAN!" Harry screamed. Katherine's eyes flew open and she looked at Harry pityingly.

Harry picked up one of Dumbledore's instruments and threw it as hard as he could at wall. It shattered causing many of the portraits to exclaim.

"I'VE HAD IT! I WANT OUT!" Harry yelled as he broke more and more of Dumbledore's things. "I DON'T CARE-"

"You do care," Dumbledore said calmly as he watched, without flinching, Harry destroying his office.

Katherine watched as Harry stormed over to the door and tried to throw it open. But it wouldn't budge. Harry turned around and glared at Dumbledore.

"Let me out." Harry said in a cold and calm voice.

"Not until you have listened to what I've said." Dumbledore said.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO SAY!" Harry roared.

"Harry Potter," Katherine snapped. "Stop acting like this. Sit down and control yourself."

Harry looked like he was about to slap her.

"You're not as angry as you should be with me, Harry." Dumbledore injected. "It's my fault Sirius died. I kept an energetic man trapped and those types of men are not going to sit at home while people they love are in danger. But there was no reason for you to go to the Department of Mysteries tonight. If I had been open with you, from the beginning, you would have known that Voldemort would try to lure you into the Department of Mysteries, and, therefore, would have never gone. And Sirius would have not gone after you."

Katherine looked at Harry to see his reaction; he seemed to be processing what Dumbledore had said.

"Please sit, Harry." Dumbledore said.

Harry slowly walked over to the chair next to Katherine and sat down.

"My great-great-grandson, the last of the Blacks, is dead?" Phineas Nigellus asked.

"Yes, Phineas." Dumbledore answered.

"I don't believe it." Phineas said before he marched out of his portrait to go to his Grimmauld Place one.

"I owe you an explanation, Harry," Dumbledore said before he turned to Katherine. "Miss Peters-"

"He's going to tell me-"

"Anyways. Yes, I figured as much." Dumbledore allowed himself a slight smile. "Harry, there is a connection between you and Voldemort. I had you study Occlumency because I was worried that Voldemort would discover the connection."

"I didn't practice." Harry muttered. Dumbledore said nothing for a moment. Katherine stretched and stifled a moan of pain as her rib moved.

"Harry, it's time I tell you why Voldemort tried to kill you when you were a baby." Dumbledore said. "He was trying to fulfill a prophecy that he only heard in part. He discovered that he was wrong, when the curse backfired. Since he returned to his body, he has been obsessed with hearing the entire prophecy. "

Katherine squinted her eyes against the now fully risen sun. Her eyes felt tired, but she knew that sleep could wait.

"The prophecy is smashed." Katherine said. "I dropped it on purpose."

"That was just a recording." Dumbledore said. "I heard the original prophecy made by Sibyll Trelawney."

Dumbledore stood up and walked over to the Pensieve. He raised his wand and touched the silvery substance. Sibyll Trelawney rose out of it and began to speak in harsh tones.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. . . . Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. . . and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not . . .and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. . . . The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. . . ._"

Trelawney sank back down and vanished. Katherine stared at Harry with her mouth agape.

"Professor, what does it mean?" Harry asked quietly.

"It means," Dumbledore said. "That the person who can destroy the Dark Lord was born at the end of July and who was born to parents who defied him three times."

Katherine shut her mouth when she realized it was hanging open. She looked at Harry with pity.

_He's just a boy! He shouldn't be shouldering responsibility like Atlas!_ Katherine thought angrily.

"Me?" Harry asked.

"No," Dumbledore said. "There were two boys born at the end of July that year, both had parents who escaped Voldemort three times. One was you. The other was Neville Longbottom."

Katherine's jaw fell to the floor again.

"Voldemort chose the boy that would be a danger to him." Dumbledore said. "He chose, not the Pureblood, but the Half-Blood like himself. He gave you powers and gave you the ability to escape him four times."

"Why did he attack me when I was a baby?" Harry asked. "Why didn't he wait to see which one of us would be the more dangerous?"

"The eavesdropper who heard the prophecy only heard the first part." Dumbledore said. "He did not hear about the boy becoming Voldemort's equal."

"But I don't have any powers." Harry protested.

"Yes, you do." Dumbledore answered.

"_Neither can live_ . . ." Katherine whispered.

"_While the other survives . . ._" Dumbledore finished.

"So," Harry said, sounding like his stomach was in his throat. "One of us has to kill the other in the . . . end . . . right?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "Now, I suggest that both of you get some sleep."

Katherine stood up gingerly. Harry stood up next to her in a daze. Katherine took his arm and they walked slowly to the door.

"Miss Peters," Dumbledore said. Katherine turned around. "Bellatrix Lestrange was taught by Voldemort himself and you defeated her tonight. Good job."

Katherine smiled softly as she looked at the ground in embarrassment. "Thank you, Professor, but I got lucky. I was lucky that she had her back turned."

* * *

><p>Katherine and Harry walked in silence through the castle. Katherine turned a corner, but Harry didn't follow her. She turned around and caught up with him. She stopped him by grabbing his arm.<p>

"Aren't you coming to the Hospital Wing?" Katherine asked.

"No," Harry whispered, eyes downcast. "I need to sleep."

Katherine pulled Harry into a hug. "Take as long as you need. It's been an awful night."

Harry and Katherine broke apart. Harry continued walking to Gryffindor Tower. Katherine watched him go for a moment, then turned on her heel, and walked to the Hospital Wing.

"Oh, not you, too!" Madam Pomfrey said exasperated as Katherine walked in.

"What can I say?" Katherine shrugged with an amused smile on her face.

Katherine walked over to an empty bed. Madam Pomfrey closed the curtains around them and looked horrified at Katherine.

"What did you do?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

Katherine looked down at herself. She had lost her cloak at some point during the battle. Not that she really cared; there was nothing important on it, just her Inquisitorial Squad badge. The bottom half of her white buttoned-up shirt was covered in a lake of blood. The right shoulder of her shirt had a stream of blood on it. Her gold and scarlet tie was plastered to her shirt because of the blood. Her black pants were torn and were damp at the hems.

Madam Pomfrey began healing Katherine's broken rib. It snapped back into place and Katherine sighed in relief. Her eyes closed and a smile graced her face.

Madam Pomfrey continued to heal the cut on her head. Then Madam Pomfrey cleaned the blood off of Katherine's face.

"Anything else?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"My jaw. I slammed it against the stone." Katherine answered.

Madam Pomfrey healed Katherine's jaw, and then directed Katherine to the bathroom. Katherine stepped into the shower and wiped away the blood and sweat from her body. She felt herself growing weary, but she couldn't go to sleep until she knew how the others were.

Katherine stepped out of the shower and dried herself. She pulled her dirty clothes back on and walked out of the bathroom.

Katherine looked around the Hospital Wing. Ginny, Neville, and Luna were sleeping and looked as though they were healed. Hermione was lying on a bed and looked to be still unconscious. Madam Pomfrey was hovering over an unmoving Ron. Katherine silently joined her.

"How are they?" Katherine asked quietly.

"Mr. Weasley has deep welts. I have put some ointment on them, but it will take some time." Madam Pomfrey said. "Miss Weasley's ankle has been mended. I heard that you were the one who put it in a splint."

"I did." Katherine said.

"Where did you learn that?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"I have been reading a Muggle first aid book." Katherine said. Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrow and Katherine shrugged. "It's good to know how to heal the magical way and Muggle way."

"Miss Lovegood has been healed of all her cuts." Madam Pomfrey continued. "Mr. Longbottom's nose is fixed."

Madam Pomfrey stopped speaking. Katherine felt fear clutch at her heart.

"And Hermione?" Katherine asked before she held her breath.

"She is lucky." Madam Pomfrey said. "If the curse had been verbal, she would have died."

Katherine's fist clutched and she grounded her teeth. She turned around to see that another bed was occupied by a pink clad, short, toady-looking woman.

"And her?" Katherine asked looking at Umbridge.

Madam Pomfrey smirked. "Dumbledore had to rescue her from some angry centaurs."

"Well, Dumbledore also got her fired." Katherine said with a smile.

"You need some rest." Madam Pomfrey said changing the subject.

Katherine nodded, grabbed a chair, walked over to Hermione, and placed the chair on the left of Hermione. Katherine leaned back in the chair, folded her arms above her stomach, and closed her eyes.

Sleep was a godsend. She could rest and let her thoughts gently mull over everything that happened last night. Her first real battle against Death Eaters. Clutching the profusely bleeding Tonks to her stomach. Sirius's death. Taking two bouts of Bellatrix Lestrange's Cruciatus Curse. Harry being possessed. The prophecy. The responsibility now placed on Harry's shoulders.

* * *

><p>A slight scream made Katherine jerk awake. Her eyes opened to darkness and she blinked to adjust them. The scream sounded again and Katherine was standing. She blinked again and saw Hermione sitting up and her mouth letting out moans.<p>

Katherine grabbed Hermione's shoulders and the witch jerked out her grip. Hermione started fighting Katherine, who grabbed Hermione's shoulders again and forced her to stop moving.

"Hermione! Hermione!" Katherine said hurriedly. "It's alright! We're at Hogwarts! We're safe!"

Hermione stopped struggling and looked at Katherine.

"We're safe?" Hermione repeated.

Katherine took out her wand and muttered "_Lumos._" The light allowed Katherine to see the worried look on Hermione's face. Katherine released Hermione and sat back down.

"We're safe." Katherine said.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

Katherine took a breath and told Hermione everything that happened after she had been knocked out by Dolohov. Hermione listened with a worried expression on her face the entire time. Katherine faltered when she reached the part about Sirius's death and she couldn't bring herself to talk about that.

"Who was hurt?" Hermione asked when Katherine suddenly stopped talking.

"Everyone. Tonks is in St. Mungo's, but everyone else is fine. " Katherine said before her face turned dark. " Sirius . . . Sirius . . . is dead. . . . Bellatrix killed him."

Katherine looked down at her hands as Hermione gasped. Katherine's head fell into her hands and she moaned.

"I'm so awful, Hermione." Katherine moaned.

"Why?" Hermione asked. Katherine didn't speak and Hermione waited patiently for her to start.

"I used an Unforgiveable Curse." Katherine whispered, her head still in her hands.

Hermione's eyes widened.

"I used the Cruciatus Curse . . ." Katherine drew a shaky breath. "And it sort of worked."

"I bet whoever you used it on deserved it." Hermione said to console her friend. Katherine's head snapped up and looked at Hermione with angry eyes.

"Yes, she deserved it." Katherine said harshly. "Harry knew that and he tried to use the curse, too, but he couldn't. I could . . . I could . . ."

"Katherine," Hermione whispered.

Katherine stood up suddenly and turned to look into the mirror hanging by Hermione's right side. Katherine looked at her reflection with self-loathing.

"Only awful people use that curse." Katherine said still glaring at herself. "People like that woman. Like Bellatrix Lestrange."

"You're not awful, Katherine." Hermione said.

"But the curse worked." Katherine said, her muscles tensed and her green eyes flashing. "Bellatrix was writhing, but not screaming. She wasn't in true pain. . . . But I knew how to fix that. . . . I knew that if I just put a little more effort . . . I . . . I would make her scream. . . . I wanted to hear her scream . . ."

"What stopped you?" Hermione whispered.

"Voldemort," Katherine laughed a short laugh. "Ironic, isn't it? Voldemort stopping me from being evil."

Silence fell. Katherine looked at herself in the mirror and backed away. She turned around to look at Hermione.

"I'll go tell Madam Pomfrey that you're awake." Katherine said. "You need to lie back down and rest. I'll finish the story later."

* * *

><p>Harry hadn't told anyone about the prophecy and Katherine had not said a word either. Hermione was still healing, but everyone else was fine. The Ministry had finally acknowledged that Voldemort was back and Harry was suddenly The Boy Who Lived again, not The Boy Who Lies.<p>

Harry left the Hospital Wing because the others were starting to wonder what the prophecy had said. He walked into the entrance hall at the same time as Malfoy and his lackeys. They all froze.

"You're dead, Potter." Malfoy said in a low voice.

"Really? When did that happen? I'd think I'd notice." Harry said.

"You're going to pay," Malfoy said angrily. "Pay for what you did to my father . . ."

"I'm so scared." Harry said sarcastically. "Because you three are oh-so dangerous."

Malfoy's hand went to his wand, but Harry was quicker.

"Potter!" Snape's voice rang through the entrance hall as he came in.

"Professor." Harry nodded his head to Snape.

"What are you doing?" Snape said coldly.

"Trying to decide which hex to use on Malfoy." Harry said.

"Put your wand away," Snape said. "Ten points from Gryff-"

Snape looked at the giant hourglasses and smirked.

"I see there are no more points to take away. I suppose, Potter, we'll have to-"

"Add some?" Professor McGonagall asked as she came into the entrance hall. She had a bag in one hand and a walking stick in the other.

"Professor McGonagall," Snape greeted. "How are you doing?"

"I'm almost good as new." Professor McGonagall said. "Crabbe, Goyle, take my bag and my cloak up to my office."

They took her things and walked away.

Suddenly, the Great Hall doors opened and a girl raced out of them crying, "_Professor McGonagall!_" The girl crashed into the professor and wrapped her arms around McGonagall's waist. The professor staggered back and awkwardly patted the girl's back.

"Good to see you, too, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said. "Now, get off me."

Katherine smiled goofily as she ceased to embrace Professor McGonagall.

"Right then," Professor McGonagall said as she looked at the hourglasses. "I think Potter and his friends deserve fifty points each for informing the world to the return of You-Know-Who!"

"Oh, Professor, I think I deserve a hundred points." Katherine said, smiling arrogantly. "After all, I defeated Bellatrix Lestrange in a duel."

"Quite right, Miss Peters," McGonagall said, smiling. "But defeating Bellatrix Lestrange merits a hundred and fifty points. Don't you agree, Professor Snape?"

"What?" Snape snapped. "Oh, I . . . well . . . I guess . . ."

"So that's fifty for Potter, a hundred for the two Weasleys, fifty for Longbottom, fifty for Miss Granger, a hundred and fifty for Miss Peters," Professor McGonagall said and a shower of rubies started to fill the Gryffindor hourglass. "And fifty for Miss Lovegood. Now, Professor Snape you can take some points from Potter."

Harry and Katherine made eye contact and smirked.

"Well, I think you three should be outside on a day like this." Professor McGonagall said.

* * *

><p>It was the anniversary. Katherine spent it by remaining in bed all day. Hermione tried to get her to talk, but Katherine refused. She cried herself to sleep, but got sleep, nonetheless.<p>

* * *

><p>Harry walked into the Common Room to see Katherine calmly reading. The Gryffindors had found out that she was only acting and apologized for their behavior to her. Katherine forgave them without hesitation.<p>

Harry stood over her. She placed her finger in her book and looked up at him. She gave him a smile, but it disappeared when she saw that something was wrong.

"Harry-"

"Did you know that Cedric could have become a ghost?" Harry cut across whatever she was going to say.

Katherine picked up her bookmark and closed her book. She looked down and took a breath. When she looked up, she was wearing a sad smile.

"You talked to Nick, didn't you?" Katherine asked quietly.

"Yes," Harry said. Katherine looked off into the distance with the same smile still on her face.

"Yes, I know that Cedric could have became a ghost." Katherine said, turning back to Harry. She patted the space next to her and Harry sat down. "But even if he did, I wouldn't have become one when I died."

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Because I don't fear death. When I die, I much rather go on than remain." Katherine answered.

"But you could have seen him." Harry said. "You could be speaking with him right now. You could have been with him."

"But for how long, Harry?" Katherine asked. "Fifty years or a month? The battle at the Ministry has shown me how fragile we all are. Harry, the Death Eaters took us out one by one so easily. You and I were daft enough to try to take on Voldemort and Bellatrix by ourselves."

"But you beat her." Harry countered. Katherine sighed.

"I got lucky." Katherine said. "If her back wasn't turned, I would have died. I was tired and running out of tricks. Harry, I was so close to dying."

"I would have saved you." Harry said. Katherine smiled at him.

"And, were you in my position, I would have saved you." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>On the Hogwart's Express, Katherine came across three slugs in front of a compartment filled with D.A. members. The one in the middle looked at her with grey eyes. Katherine placed her hand in front of the slug and it slithered on to her hand. Katherine opened the compartment and held the slug out for all to see.<p>

"Alright, which one of you turned my brother into a slug?" Katherine asked with an amused smile.

The D.A. members laughed and all raised their hands. Katherine laughed with them.

"Well, I can't punish all of you, so . . ." Katherine laughed.

Katherine walked out of the compartment once everyone stopped laughing. She put the slug down and changed Draco back into a boy. He jumped up and tried to brush past her to get into the D.A. compartment.

"No." Katherine said, grabbing his arm. "C'mon, we're about to arrive."

"Are you staying with us? I thought you'd stay with Wonder Boy, or the traitors, or even the Mudblood." Draco sneered. Katherine's eyes harden.

"I'm not staying with you. Forgive me, but I do not wish to live with a Death Eater's family." Katherine said as the train pulled to a stop.

She let go of Draco's arm and went to go meet Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The four of them walked off the train together. Katherine was laughing at something Ron said, when the laugh vanished. Narcissa stood about ten yards away as if she was waiting for someone.

"Excuse me." Katherine said.

She walked over to Narcissa, knowing that the blond haired witch was not waiting for Draco. Katherine had noticed him leave with a house-elf. Katherine stopped when she was in front of her mother.

"Where are your things?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm not going to the Manor." Katherine said.

"And why not?" Narcissa asked.

"I don't want to live with your side." Katherine said.

"My side?"

"Your side."

"Katherine," Narcissa sighed. "I don't care about what side you're on. I want my family as whole as it can be."

Katherine stared at her for a moment.

"Please come home." Narcissa whispered. "I need my family."

"Alright." Katherine said. "Let me go get my trunk."

Katherine turned around and retrieved her trunk. Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"I thought you weren't going back there." Ron said.

"I've changed my mind." Katherine answered before she smiled pleasantly. "Have a good summer, Hermione. Don't get bored, Ron. And have fun with your aunt and uncle, Harry."

They smiled as Katherine walked back to Narcissa. Katherine smiled as she took her mother's arm.

"Thank you." Narcissa whispered before she Apparated them to Malfoy Manor.

"I'll always be here when you need me." Katherine smiled when they arrived. "Especially when Lucius can't be."

They walked into the Manor, and then went their separate ways. Narcissa went to the sitting room, while Katherine went to her bedroom.

Katherine shrugged off her cloak and placed her wand on her bedside table. She sighed and bent down.

_You can do this, Peters. It's time._ She thought to herself.

Katherine opened the bottom drawer of her bedside table. She pulled out a polished wooden square box. She stood up and placed the box on her bed. With slightly shaky fingers, she opened it.

Every picture of Cedric she possessed laid in the box. Katherine slowly and gently pulled out each picture. She smiled at the smiling Cedric and started placing the pictures all around her room. She placed one of her and Cedric in a close embrace on her bedside table next to the D.A. picture she had just pulled out of her trunk.

"Hey, Cedric," Katherine smiled as she spoke to the pictures. "Your funeral's tomorrow. I know it's late, but at least there will be one. The Ministry's stopped denying the truth about your death and I will be attending your funeral. I'm going to make a grand speech for you. . . . I love you, Cedric, darling."

Katherine said all of this without tearing up once. Perhaps, she had finally accepted his death. Perhaps, the cut has healed. Or perhaps, the cut had just turned into a scar.


	30. Chapter 30

**Year six. I'm not going to make any promises on how long it's going to be. So, enjoy.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 30<em>

Harry Potter stifled a yawn as he walked up the stairs to Fred and George's old room. It was way past midnight. Dumbledore had kept him out late with the meeting with Horace Slughorn and telling Harry that he was to have private lessons with the Headmaster.

Harry reached the room and climbed into one of the beds. His eyes fell shut and peaceful dreams, not the ones from last year, normal dreams entertained him.

That is, until someone blasted open the door and Harry jerked awake. He searched for his glasses.

"We didn't know you were here!" An excited voice said and Harry felt a blow hit the top of his head.

"Ron, don't hit him!" A girl scolded.

Harry found his glasses and Ron Weasley came into view. Ron pulled over a cardboard box and used it as a seat. Hermione sat down on the edge of his bed.

"What time is it?" Harry asked. "Did I miss breakfast?"

"Mom's bringing you up a tray." Ron said as Ginny walked in and plopped down on Harry's bed.

Suddenly, the door flew open. A young woman with breathtaking beauty and long blonde hair walked in carrying a breakfast tray.

"'Arry," She said. "Eet 'as been too long."

"I could have brought up the tray myself!" Mrs. Weasley said looking cross.

"Eet was no trouble," Fleur Delacour said as she placed the tray on Harry's lap and kissed him on each cheek.

"Hello, Fleur," Harry said, a little breathless from the kisses. "What are you doing here?"

"You do not know?" Fleur asked, looking shocked at Mrs. Weasley. "Bill and I are going to be married."

"Oh," Harry said. "Congratulations."

Fleur kissed his cheeks again before she swept out of the room. Mrs. Weasley left and made Ginny come with her. Harry ate his breakfast while his friends talked about the things they had done since the term ended. And Harry told them about the prophecy. Hermione was so shocked that she squeezed one of Fred's and George's telescopes and it punched her.

When Harry was finished, they went downstairs. Hermione raced down because Harry had mentioned that their O.W.L.S. results would be coming that morning. When the boys made it downstairs, Hermione was sitting at the table while Mrs. Weasley was trying to heal the bruise. Unfortunately, nothing was working.

"Morning, all." Mr. Weasley said as he walked in, yawning.

"I thought you'd be at work, Dad." Ron said.

"I had a late night last night; the Ministry can function without me for a couple of hours." Mr. Weasley answered.

Hermione shrieked and pointed out the window. Four black specks were growing larger as they flew closer.

"Those are owls." Ron said, stating the obvious.

"There are four. Why four?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Hermione answered in a terrified whisper.

They flew through the windows and landed on the table in a line. Hermione, Ron, and Harry stared at the owls, who stared at them.

Harry started forward, but stopped when something hit the front door with a loud thud. Everyone in the kitchen froze. Mr. Weasley raised a finger to his lips and slowly pulled out his wand. He nodded to his wife, who walked silently to the door. Mrs. Weasley's hand was on the doorknob as she looked at her husband, who raised his wand and nodded.

Mrs. Weasley threw open the door and an unconscious Katherine slammed into the floor face first. Mr. Weasley ran and jumped over her while commanding over his shoulder, "Don't touch her!"

He ran outside, and then Apparated. No one in the kitchen moved; they were all staring at Katherine, who had a puddle of blood growing underneath her.

A moment later, Mr. Weasley returned with Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey. The three adults jumped over Katherine. Mr. Weasley made everyone besides Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey move away. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore knelt beside her.

"Can you heal her, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked.

"I need to see the damage, Albus." Madam Pomfrey said. "Help me roll her over."

Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore rolled Katherine onto her back. Hermione clutched Harry's arm at the sight of Katherine.

Blood was coming out of a cut on Katherine's throat. Katherine's skin was almost the color of a sheet. Her breathing was ragged and sounded like it hurt. Her entire body was twitching at random intervals, while just shaking the rest of the time.

Madam Pomfrey waved her wand and said a series of healing spells, but it did nothing, except make the bleeding slow down enough to see the cut.

"Why isn't it working?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly.

"This is the exact same cut from that spell Quirrell used on her. That didn't stop bleeding for a couple of days." Madam Pomfrey said as she cut a strip of bandage.

Madam Pomfrey quickly wrapped the white bandage around Katherine's neck; it turned red within seconds. She took out a Blood-Replenishing Potion, opened Katherine's mouth, and poured the potion in. After a few seconds, color returned to Katherine's skin.

Madam Pomfrey began examining the rest of Katherine. She held in a gasp as she reached Katherine's right leg. Harry looked and saw that bits of something were poking out of Katherine's leg right above her ankle.

"What's wrong with her leg?" Hermione asked in a terrified whisper.

"The bone's been shattered into minuscule pieces." Madam Pomfrey answered.

The nurse waved her wand and, slowly, the pieces retracted, leaving the skin smooth and flat. With a loud pop, the foot snapped back into place. Katherine moaned, but did not wake.

"I'm sorry to ask you of this, Molly-" Dumbledore started to say.

"It's alright, Professor," Mrs. Weasley said. "It won't be a problem to have her stay here. I have an extra bed ready."

Professor Dumbledore nodded as he conjured up a stretcher. Gently, he and Madam Pomfrey lifted Katherine onto it.

"Lead the way, Molly." Dumbledore said.

Mrs. Weasley led the way up to Fred and George's room as Dumbledore followed while levitating the unconscious Katherine. Madam Pomfrey, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny trailed after them.

When they reached the twin's room, Dumbledore transferred Katherine from the stretcher to the other bed. Madam Pomfrey tightened the covers around Katherine to keep her from moving. She handed Mrs. Weasley some potions and a roll of bandages and a series of written instructions.

"Her bandage must be changed every couple of hours until it completely stops bleeding." Madam Pomfrey instructed. "Also, if she moves too quickly, she could reopen the wound and cause even worse damage. The tightened sheets will keep her from jerking in her sleep."

"And her leg?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"The potions will help heal it, but it will give her some trouble for some time." Madam Pomfrey said.

"Thank you." Mrs. Weasley said.

Dumbledore turned around to look at the four teenagers.

"Now, listen to me, all of you," Dumbledore said calmly. "Under no circumstance are you to ask Miss Peters what happened to her nor are you to force her to tell. If she wants you to know, she will tell you."

"I bet Malfoy snapped because she's the reason his father is in Azkaban." Ron theorized.

"It is possible." Dumbledore mused.

"Do you know what happened, Professor?" Harry asked.

"I have a theory; a theory I should have informed Miss Peters of before the term ended." Dumbledore said. "But I hope that I am wrong."

"She's in good hands now." Mrs. Weasley said.

Dumbledore nodded and said farewell before he and Madam Pomfrey left. Mrs. Weasley stroked Katherine's bangs out of her eyes.

"Come and get me once she's awake." Mrs. Weasley said before she walked out of the room.

Harry and Ron sat on Harry's bed. Ginny and Hermione used boxes as seats, placing themselves on either side of Katherine. They all sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"What do you think she did?" Ron asked.

"Knowing her, she'll say it was some daring adventure where she took on twenty Death Eaters and Voldemort himself." Harry said with a smile.

"And then, when we claim that that is stupid, she'll ignore us for the rest of the day." Ginny said.

"Or she could have really been attacked." Hermione whispered.

Suddenly, Katherine's covers blew off of her and hexes started flying. Hermione and Harry jumped forward. Harry held Katherine down and Hermione wrestled Katherine's wand from her. Hermione placed the Bristlecone Pine wand on the bedside table while Harry replaced the covers.

Katherine was unconscious, but she was acting like she was defending herself from someone.

"Definitely an attack." Harry said.

* * *

><p>Katherine woke up to find herself unable to move. Something soft was restraining her. Her eyes adjusted and she saw her friends sitting around, not looking at her. Katherine felt panic settle in as she tried to move her arm, but found she couldn't.<p>

"Hermione," Katherine choked out, trying to control the panic. "Why can't I move?"

All four of them whipped their heads around when she spoke. Hermione stood up and looked down at Katherine.

"Hermione, you know I hate being trapped under covers." Katherine said, unable to stop a hint of panic from seeping into her voice.

"You hurt your neck and Madam Pomfrey said that you couldn't move too quickly." Hermione said.

"If I promise not to move quickly, will you remove the covers?" Katherine asked a little panicky.

"Yes." Hermione answered.

"I promise." Katherine said and sighed in relief as the covers were removed. She gingerly sat up. "Why does my leg feel like hell?"

"Your bone splintered and Madam Pomfrey had to heal it back together." Ginny answered.

"Ah, that explains it." Katherine said before smiling at them. "So, how have your summers been?"

They all stared at her, but she was smiling like it was completely normal to show up at your friend's house unconscious and bleeding.

"I'll go tell mom you're up." Ginny said as she walked out.

The four sat in silence. A few minutes later, Mrs. Weasley came in with a worried face and followed by Ginny, who was carrying Katherine's broom, and Fleur Delacour, who was carrying a breakfast tray. Mrs. Weasley swept Katherine's hair from her eyes and peered at her.

"How are you, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked worryingly.

"Completely fine." Katherine said. "I'm sorry about dropping in uninvited. It's just . . . this was the first place that entered my mind."

"Don't worry about it, dear." Mrs. Weasley said. "Here, drink these."

Mrs. Weasley handed Katherine the potions. Katherine drank them obediently and made a face at the taste.

"Harry dear, I've fixed the other bed in Ron's room for you." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Harry doesn't have to get kicked out of this room." Katherine said. "I'll sleep on the floor in Ginny's room. It's not a problem."

"No, deary, you need to rest in a bed." Mrs. Weasley said with a tone of finality.

"'Ello, Katherine." Fleur said as she placed the breakfast tray in Katherine's lap.

"Long time, no see." Katherine greeted with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Bill and I are getting married!" Fleur said excitedly. Katherine noticed Hermione and Ginny give each other disgusted looks.

"Congrats." Katherine smiled.

"Here are your letters." Mrs. Weasley said as she passed letters out to Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Katherine.

"What's this?" Katherine asked.

"Your O.W.L. results." Mrs. Weasley answered as she and Fleur left.

Katherine calmly opened her letter. Harry and Ron both looked a little nervous. Hermione was shaking so badly that Ginny had to open it for her.

**ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS**

_**Pass Grades Fail Grades**_

OUTSTANDING (O) POOR (P)

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS (E) DREADFUL (D)

ACCEPTABLE (A) TROLL (T)

_**Katherine Janice Peters **__**has achieved:**_

Astronomy A

Care of Magical Creatures E

Charms O

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Divination T

Herbology E

History of Magic O

Potions O

Transfiguration E

Political Science O

Katherine smiled at her grades; she had done better than she expected. Katherine switched with Hermione, who frowned.

"Why did you do so poorly in Divination?" Hermione asked. Katherine laughed.

"I knew I didn't stand a chance, so, when we were supposed to be predicating something, I went on a rant about how stupid Divination is." Katherine smiled. Ron and Harry laughed.

"But you horribly failed the exam." Hermione said.

Katherine shrugged. "Like I care."

* * *

><p>It was three days after Katherine's unexpected appearance at the Burrow. Katherine hadn't told any of them what happened to her nor had they asked.<p>

It was almost midnight and everyone in the house was asleep, except Katherine. She was in the kitchen calmly sipping a cup of tea. She was twirling her wand absentmindedly as she stared out into space.

Movement outside ripped her from her thoughts. Katherine quietly put her cup down and stood up. Wand in hand, Katherine looked out the window. Someone was walking, almost dejectedly, towards the house. The porch light lit up the face of the person and Katherine sighed in relief. She opened the door and threw her arms around Nymphadora Tonks's neck. Tonks hugged her back.

When they let go of each other, Katherine stepped back and got a good look at Tonks. Her hair was mousy brown instead of bubble gum pink. She looked ill and looked as if she hadn't slept since the Battle at the Department of Mysteries.

"Won't you come in?" Katherine said as she recovered her manners.

Tonks nodded and stepped inside. Katherine shut the door behind them. Tonks sat down at the table and Katherine made another cup of tea for her. Tonks held the cup in her hands and stared down at it.

"You're fully healed, I see." Katherine said as she took the seat next to Tonks.

"Thanks to you, I hear." Tonks said, looking up.

"I didn't do anything; it was Remus." Katherine said. Tonks flinched, but recovered quickly. Katherine pretended not to notice.

"Why are you awake?" Tonks said abruptly.

"My leg's been bothering me; the pain makes sleeping hard." Katherine answered. "Why are you here at midnight?"

"I came to talk to Molly." Tonks said.

"Order stuff?" Katherine asked. Tonks shook her head. "Is it anything I can help you with?"

Tonks stayed silent a moment as if she was debating something. Katherine calmly sipped her tea as she waited patiently for Tonks to speak.

Finally, Tonks whispered, "Remus."

"What about Remus?" Katherine asked softly as she watched Tonks stare at her hands.

"I . . ." Tonks swallowed. "Think I like . . . him."

"Have you told him?" Katherine asked, hiding her surprise.

"When I woke up in St. Mungo's." Tonks replied as a small smile ghosted her face. "The situation was romantic, really. He was sitting there. He hadn't slept since the battle. He was waiting for me to wake up. When I opened my eyes, he grabbed my hand and kissed it. Then . . . he kissed me. I told him that I liked him and he . . . ran away."

"Did he say anything?" Katherine asked with her eyes softened with sympathy.

"He said that he was too dangerous . . . too old . . . too poor . . ." Tonks took a deep breath. "He left before I could tell him that I don't care."

Katherine grabbed Tonks's hand and Tonks's dark eyes looked up at her in pain. Katherine smiled understandingly.

"He'll come around." Katherine said reassuringly.

"When?" Tonks asked in a desperate tone.

"Like I know," Katherine shrugged as a smile played on her face. "I got a T in Divination."

Tonks laughed an almost genuine laugh.

"You know, Cedric and I thought we had all the time in the world." Katherine drew a shaky breath as she ran a hand through her hair. "In hindsight, I wish I told him how I _truly_ felt. How I loved him from the minute I saw him."

"You never told him?" Tonks asked dubiously.

"We thought we had all the time in the world. We thought we had forever." Katherine said. "We didn't feel the need to say it just then."

"Did you think he loved you?" Tonks asked.

"I know he did." Katherine smiled. "He told Harry to tell me."

"Do you wish you told him?" Tonks questioned.

Katherine got a faraway look in her eyes as she smiled a content smile. "Every day. But it's alright because I tell him I love him every night."


	31. Chapter 31

_Chapter 31_

It was a couple of weeks later and Katherine was fully healed except for a small scar on her throat. They decided to go to Diagon Alley since their Hogwarts letters had come. Katherine, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went with Hagrid to Madam Malkin's. The gamekeeper waited outside as the teenagers went inside the store.

"Watch it with that pin, will you?" A voice snarled.

A teenage boy with white blond hair came out from behind a rack and strode to the mirror. Katherine froze as she saw a woman with the same color hair as the boy follow a few paces behind him.

"Crap!" Katherine exclaimed before she, literally, dove behind the nearest clothing rack.

Katherine watched as the boy spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the mirror's reflection.

"I figured out what that smell is, Mother," Draco Malfoy said. "A Mudblood."

"Language!" Madam Malkin protested. "And no wands drawn in my shop!"

Harry and Ron both had their wands out. Hermione was behind them telling them not to. Katherine was still hiding behind the clothing rack.

"Who punched you in the face, Granger? I'd like to send them a thank you basket." Draco sneered.

"That's enough." Madam Malkin said as she looked up her shoulder for support. "Madam, please."

Narcissa Malfoy came forward and Katherine curled up to make herself smaller.

"Put those away." She said coldly to Harry and Ron. "Attack my son again and it will be the last thing you ever do."

"Really?" Harry said as he stepped forward to where they were eye to eye. "Going to get your Death Eater pals to do us in?"

Harry did not lower his wand and Narcissa smiled unpleasantly. Katherine cringed at that smile; that smile always preceded a punishment.

"I see that you believe that since you are Dumbledore's favorite, he will always be there to protect you." Narcissa continued to smile the unpleasant smile.

Harry looked around mockingly. "What d'you know? He's not here, now. Why not take me out? They might get you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser husband!"

Draco tried to lunge at Harry, but his long robes prevented him.

"Don't talk to my mother like that, Potter!" Draco snarled.

"Relax, Draco," Narcissa said as she restrained Draco with her long fingers. "I suspect that dear Potter here will be reunited with poor Sirius before I am with Lucius."

Harry raised his wand higher.

"Harry, no!" Hermione moaned as she pulled his hand down.

Madam Malkin decided to act like nothing was happening in her shop, so she turned her attention back to Draco's robes.

"I think the left sleeve could come up a bit-"

"Ouch!" Malfoy yelped. "I told you to watch where you're putting those pins! Mother, I don't want these anymore-"

He pulled the robes off and threw them on the floor.

"You're right, Draco," Narcissa said with a look of contempt at Hermione. "Now I know what filth shops here, I think we'll do better at Twilfitt and Tatting's."

The two Malfoys started to stride out of the door, but Katherine's nose decided to hate her in that moment; she sneezed. Narcissa turned her head and froze at the sight of her daughter crouched in hiding under a clothing rack. Draco looked at her with an incredulous look.

"Hello," Katherine said as she searched for an escape. "How are you?"

"Katherine," Narcissa breathed, showing her true feelings for a moment, but then she realized she was in public. "Come out from under there right now!"

Katherine couldn't ignore the command. With a sigh, she climbed out from under the clothing rack and stood up. Narcissa grabbed her arm and started dragging Katherine outside. Harry stepped forward.

"No, Harry, it's alright." Katherine said and she made a point of walking willingly outside.

Narcissa led her to a bench across from the store in the nearly deserted Diagon Alley. Narcissa sat daintily down and Katherine copied her. Draco remained standing. Narcissa handed him some money and he went inside the Quidditch shop.

Narcissa looked at Katherine with an indifferent mask. Her blue eyes, however, were sad. Narcissa looked away for a moment.

"How could you leave?" Narcissa asked quietly, turning back to Katherine.

"You know why." Katherine answered, evasively.

"Come back." Narcissa said almost indifferently, but her eyes begged.

Katherine looked up and pretended to find the sky to be amazingly interesting. She started when Narcissa laid her hand over Katherine's.

"I promise that everything will be fine." Narcissa whispered. Katherine turned her gaze back to her and kept her face indifferent.

"Next time it happens, I won't come back." Katherine said. Narcissa allowed herself to look relieved.

"Thank you." Narcissa smiled. "I just need my family together or as together as we can be."

"I'll return to the Manor later." Katherine said. "I'll finish my shopping, get my things, and then I'll come."

Narcissa nodded as she pulled out a bag and placed it in Katherine's lap. Katherine tried to hand it back, but Narcissa shook her head.

"I don't need money." Katherine said, still trying to give the bag back.

"It's for your school supplies." Narcissa said and she left before Katherine could protest further.

* * *

><p>It was nearly midnight when Katherine picked up her broom and swung her bags from shopping on her shoulder. She quickly wrote a note to Hermione explaining where she had gone and asking Hermione to thank Mrs. Weasley for her. Katherine tip-toed down the stairs, hoping not to wake a single person in the Burrow.<p>

"Going somewhere?" A voice asked when Katherine's hand was on the front door handle. She contemplated the idea of just running for it, but decided against it. She turned around to see Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny sitting at the kitchen table as if they expected her to try to leave.

"Yes." Katherine answered, hoping to disarm them with a smile. "Tell your mother thanks for me, Ginny and Ron."

"Katherine, you can't leave." Hermione said.

"Why not? I'm intruding." Katherine said.

"Fine, leave." Ginny said. "But you can't leave without your wand."

Katherine's eyes widened in shock as Ginny pulled out her Bristlecone Pine wand. The red-haired girl started tossing up and catching the wand. Katherine put down her things and walked over to the table.

"I can't stay." Katherine said. "Narcissa is expecting me."

"We're confused, Katherine." Hermione said. "When we saw the Malfoys today, you hid from them, now you want to go back to them?"

"They're my family." Katherine said.

"How about we strike a deal?" Ginny said. "You tell us what happened to you when you arrived and I'll give you your wand and you can leave."

"It's not a lovely tale; I come off seeming rather stupid." Katherine said, smiling.

"Tell us." Harry said.

Katherine shifted her weight reluctantly, but she moved forward. She rested her hands on the back of an empty chair and looked at each one of them. She took a deep breath and sat down.

"When the term ended, I knew that I didn't want to go back to Malfoy Manor because I didn't want to live with Voldemort's side." Katherine said, looking down at her fiddling hands. "But I didn't realize that someone else would be residing in Malfoy Manor."

* * *

><p><em>Katherine and Narcissa were in the dining room, testing wines for Draco's and Katherine's Sixteenth Birthday Ball. Something Katherine had protested many times about, but to no avail. <em>

_ Katherine had said no to every white wine, but Narcissa was ignoring her. So, Katherine went on to taste the wine in the hundreds of glasses that were covering the dining room table._

_ They heard someone arrive by the Floo Network in the living room. Neither of them thought that this was suspicious, since it was probably Draco returning from Blaise Zabini's house. _

_ The door to the dining room opened and Narcissa gasped in surprise. Katherine looked up to see Narcissa run forward to catch a swaying person. _

_ "Bella, what happened?" Narcissa whispered so low that Katherine almost didn't hear it._

_ "I failed Him." A voice that sounded as if it had been harassed by constant screaming._

_ Katherine felt fear seep into her. She needed to get out of there. The minute Bellatrix Lestrange saw her, she was dead. And her wand was at the head of the table, feet away from her._

_ "What is she doing here?" Bellatrix snarled over Narcissa's shoulder. "She's the reason we failed Him."_

_ "I'm not the reason." Katherine stood taller as she looked at Bellatrix with contempt. "You lost to seven fifteen year olds."_

_ Bellatrix moved past Narcissa."You better shut up."_

_ "Oh?" Katherine raised her eyebrows. "Fancy another go? I beat you once and I can easily do it again."_

_ Bellatrix fired a nasty looking curse at Katherine, who ducked under the table. Glasses shattered around her. She crawled under the table quickly to reach the head of it. More and more glasses exploded with loud bangs._

_ "Bella!" Narcissa shrieked. "Stop it right now!"_

_ "Out of my way, Cissy." Bellatrix snarled. "I'm going to kill that bitch."_

_ Katherine jumped out from under the table, grabbed her wand, and jumped to her feet._

_ "Language, Auntie Bella." Katherine scolded as she ran through the dining room door. _

_ Katherine heard Bellatrix's heavy boots slamming into the fine, polished wood. Katherine ran through room after room, dodging every hex aimed at her. She knew that if she stopped, Bellatrix would get her. Luck wasn't with her today._

_ Katherine charged down the stairs and jumped down the last three steps and landed crouched on all fours. This move saved her from getting hit by a Stunner. Katherine rolled forward, using her momentum to get onto her feet._

_ The front door was getting closer and closer. Part of Katherine was yelling at her to stop being a coward and just turn around to fight Bellatrix. The other, more logical, part of Katherine yelled at her to not stop running because she would be taken down the minute she hesitated._

_ Katherine's hand found the cool, gold door handle and threw the door open. She jumped through the opening and slammed the door shut behind her. Katherine kept running as she raised her wand._

_ "_Accio Nimbus Two Thousand and One!_" She casted as quickly as she could._

_ The door flew open and Katherine could have sworn that the sky thundered as it did. Bellatrix's cackle reached the running girl's ears. Katherine turned her head as her black broom flew towards her._

_ Katherine jumped, but a spell hit her right ankle and forced her to tumble to the ground in an ungraceful heap. Her broom was pinned underneath her. Katherine tried to stand up, but her ankle refused to work. _

_ "Up!" She commanded her broom._

_ The Nimbus Two Thousand and One rose from the ground. Katherine flew up and started racing to the hedge, the last barrier between her and leaving. _

_ Jets of lights exploded all around her as Bellatrix tried to get her. For a second, the lights stopped. Katherine thought that this was rather weird; Bellatrix was not one to just let someone get away._

_ Katherine looked over her right shoulder to see Bellatrix moving her wand around in complex motions. Suddenly, a burst of orange light rocketed at Katherine. Katherine jerked her broom to the left, but the orange light nicked her throat. _

_ Katherine placed her hand on the wound and pull it away to see it covered in dark red blood. With a new heightened sense of urgency, Katherine made her broom fly faster. _

_ She charged through the wards and felt like she was receiving an electric shock therapy. All of her limbs started to convulse and shake. Her head twisted left and right. Her eyes rolled around. She nearly fell off her broom._

_ But she made it through the wards. She controlled herself and put her broom on a course that would lead her to the Burrow. She knew that she would get help there._

_ Her broom flew as fast as it could. Blood was practically pouring from her wound on her neck. Her ankle was still not responding to her attempts to move it. _

_ After what felt like an eternity, Katherine saw the Burrow getting larger and larger as she flew closer. She felt herself starting to lose consciousness due to blood lost. Her vision was becoming hazy and her breathes were ragged._

_ The Burrow greeted her with open arms. Katherine landed on the porch, swaying. She tried to put weight on her ankle, but ended up falling forward. She fell into unconsciousness before she registered hitting the door._

* * *

><p>The four stared at her in shock. Katherine cleared her throat and held out her hand for her wand.<p>

"Why did you keep annoying her?" Hermione asked.

"Because it was so much fun." Katherine smirked.

"And you're going back there?" Ron asked like he questioned Katherine's sanity.

"Bellatrix does not reside there anymore." Katherine answered.

"How d'you know?" Ron snapped.

"Because Narcissa told me so." Katherine said calmly.

"And you trust her?" Ron asked dubious.

"Yes." Katherine said simply.

"Ginny, give Katherine her wand back." Harry instructed. Ginny tossed Katherine her wand.

"I will see you at school." Katherine said as she stood up. Harry rose at the same time.

"I'll walk you out." Harry said.

Katherine stopped at the door to pick up her bags and broom. Harry followed her outside.

"Bye, Harry." Katherine said before she mounted her broom.

"Be careful, Katherine." Harry said.

"I always am." Katherine smiled. Harry scoffed at that.

"Yeah, yeah." Harry said, rolling his eyes.

Katherine jumped on her broom and flew in the direction of Malfoy Manor. Sometime later, she landed in front of the gate. Shouldering her broom, she quietly pushed it open. The gravel crunched underneath her feet as she walked up the path to the front door.

She had her wand in her sleeve. If Bellatrix was still here, Katherine was ready.

The front door opened when Katherine reached the porch and Narcissa stood before her. Narcissa still had her dress on from earlier today. Katherine walked towards Narcissa, dropped her things, and hugged her mother. Narcissa wrapped her arms around Katherine.

"You're late." Narcissa said in a scolding tone.

"Sorry." Katherine whispered.

* * *

><p>A few days later, Katherine was lying on the couch, reading a book after dinner. Suddenly, something jumped over the back of the couch and landed on Katherine's stomach.<p>

"Umph!" Her breath ejected out of her.

Her book was pushed down and a boy was smiling sheepishly at her. She raised her book and smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

"Draco, must you jump on me?" Katherine asked as her breath returned.

"It's fun." Draco smiled, still sitting on her.

Katherine rolled her eyes and raised her book so that she couldn't see Draco's face. She continued to read while he sat on her stomach. A moment later, her book was ripped from her hands and thrown across the room as Draco's patience ran out.

"You could have at least let me bookmark the page." Katherine said amused.

Draco shifted his position so that he was lying on top of her. His hands rested on the armrest, on either side of her head.

"You and I haven't done anything together." Draco said.

"I've been home for a couple of days, Draco, and you've been off with Zabini the entire time." Katherine replied.

"Let's do something now, then." Draco said as he shifted off of her. "There's a Quidditch match on."

Draco turned on the wizarding version of a television and found a Quidditch match that was just starting. He picked up Katherine, placed himself underneath her, dropped her onto him, and wrapped his arms around her. Katherine settled back into Draco's chest.

"This is nice." Draco commented.

"Yes." Katherine agreed. "It's like we're seven again and we're just sitting around watching Quidditch matches."

"Or playing outside until it became completely dark." Draco said. "Like that time we were playing at the edge of the woods."

"And your parents started calling us to come in as the sun set."

"But you told me not to respond and we went a bit deeper into the woods."

"Then we fell asleep, holding on to each other for warmth."

"When my parents found us, Father was about to beat us, but Mother stopped him because we were so cute."

"That's how you stay out of trouble, Draco, just look cute." Katherine smiled.

"Then Father carried me and Mother carried you inside." Draco said.

"They set a letter to the Peters saying that I was spending the night." Katherine said.

"Mother placed you in my bed to sleep, while Father put me on the floor."

"I remember you waking up annoyed that someone would be sleeping in your bed. So, you pushed me out of your bed and I ended up spending the rest of the night on the floor."

"Then, when Mother came in the next morning, she started to scold me for being indecent to a lady, but you told her that it was your idea. That you wanted us to take turns sleeping in the bed." Draco said with a smile.

"I always get you out of trouble, Draco." Katherine smirked.

"Oh?" Draco raised his eyebrows. "I'm afraid that's not true. Because the minute you left, I got punished."

"Not my fault; you weren't acting cute enough." Katherine said smiling.

Draco raised his eyebrows again, and then started tickling Katherine. She wiggled to try to get out of his grasp, but to no avail. Draco laughed heartedly as Katherine dissolved into giggles.

Katherine twisted her body around and she started to tickle Draco. And so began the tickling war. Both were laughing from the tickles and at their companion's discomfort. Soon, they were both out of breath and they stopped tickling each other.

Katherine looked down at Draco. They stared at each other for a moment. Katherine, then, twisted back into her original position and settled down to watch the game.

"Who's playing?" She asked as Draco's arms wrapped around her again.

"Bulgaria and France." He answered.

So, they watched the game. France's Chasers were destroying Bulgaria. The score was one hundred eighty to twenty, France winning.

"Krum is very good." Draco commented. "He's seen the Snitch about five times already, but he keeps leading Jean-Paul on false trails."

"He knows that he can't catch the Snitch just yet." Katherine said.

"But will the Bulgarian Chasers be able to stop France?" Draco asked.

"I don't know. Those Chasers are pitiful." Katherine said.

"You could show them how to play." Draco suggested.

"But then we'd create an unstoppable team. Bulgaria has the best Seeker and, if I helped them, they would have the best Chasers." Katherine smiled.

"So, full of yourself." Draco murmured into her ear. Katherine smirked, pleased with herself.

* * *

><p>In the morning, Narcissa entered the sitting room to find Draco and Katherine asleep on the couch. Katherine was sleeping on her left side, with her head in the crook of Draco's neck. Draco's arms were wrapped firmly around her waist, one hand resting on her right hip. Draco's cheek placed itself on the top of Katherine's head.<p>

Narcissa smiled and placed a blanket over the sleeping teenagers. Katherine's eyes fluttered open. Narcissa walked over to Katherine.

"Go back to sleep, darling." Narcissa said as she stroked Katherine's cheek.

Katherine smiled sleepily and closed her eyes. Narcissa's hand moved up to stroke Katherine's hair. Her other hand started playing with Draco's hair.

Her children were beautiful.


	32. Chapter 32

**Be sure to check out my new story "I Am The Heir."**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 32<em>

"Aren't you going to sit with me?" Draco asked as he and Katherine stepped onto the Hogwarts Express.

"Are you sitting with your Slytherin cronies?" Katherine asked. Draco nodded. "Then, no."

Katherine walked away before he could say anything. She spotted a red haired girl in a compartment with some fifth years. The girl looked up and smiled at Katherine. Katherine waved; the girl stood up and joined Katherine in the corridor.

"Still in one piece, I see." Ginny said as she scanned Katherine for any wounds.

"I told you that I would be fine." Katherine said.

A couple of third years were walking down the corridor, when they stopped suddenly. They started whispering to each other as they glanced at Katherine and Ginny. Finally, one of them crouched forward with her friends right behind her.

"Um . . . excuse me. . . . A-A-Are you K-K-Katherine Peters?" The girl gave Katherine a wide-eyed look.

"Yes." Katherine smiled gently at the girl. "And this is my friend, Ginny Weasley."

"I told you," whispered one of the girls.

"You really fought You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries?" The head girl asked with unbridled excitement.

"Well, I did." Katherine said with a teasing smile. "Ginny here, broke her ankle, and then got stunned, so she was out rather quickly."

Ginny smacked Katherine's shoulder. "I still helped!"

Katherine pretended to consider this statement. "I suppose you did."

"C-C-Can we get . . . y-y-your autographs?" The girl asked giving Katherine the wide-eyed look again.

"Sure." Katherine and Ginny said.

And so, Katherine signed about nine sheets of papers. The girls stammered out thanks and practically ran down the corridor in excitement to show their friends. Katherine and Ginny laughed at their exit.

"I suppose you enjoyed that, Katherine." Ginny said. Katherine shrugged.

"It's nice to be appreciated." Katherine said, hiding a smile.

"And I was worried that Peters would be lording her involvement over us." A voice drawled sarcastically.

Katherine and Ginny turned around to see a tall, skinny blond haired boy with an upturned nose come towards them.

"Nice to see you, too, Smith." Katherine said sarcastically.

"I know." Zacharias Smith said, inspecting his fingernails. "So, tell me what happened in the Department of Mysteries."

"Well, we got there, a battle went on, and we won." Katherine said. Smith gave her an annoyed look.

"Details, Peters, details." Smith commanded.

"Did you not read _The Prophet_, Smith?" Ginny asked annoyed.

"_The Daily Prophet_ doesn't say everything." Smith said.

"Well, maybe we don't want to talk about it." Katherine suggested.

"Tell me." Smith urged.

"No." Ginny said wrinkling her nose.

"Tell me, now." Smith stepped forward and grabbed Ginny's wrist forcefully.

"You don't want to do that, Smith." Katherine said as she pulled out her wand.

"Just tell me." Smith said forcefully.

Katherine and Ginny locked eyes and smiled. There were two loud bangs and Smith flew backwards. They stepped over to him to see little bat wings sprouting out of his face and his skin turning green.

"Ginny," Katherine said, smiling an amused smile. "I have decided that I do not want to be on the receiving end of your Bat-Bogey Hex."

"Nor do I." A male's voice from behind them said.

The girls turned around to see a huge, bald man sporting a moustache. Katherine and Ginny froze as they realized that they were about to get detention before they even set foot in Hogwarts.

"That was some spectacular magic." The man said.

Katherine's and Ginny's jaws dropped to the floor. Katherine was the first to recover.

"Well . . . um . . . thank you, sir." Katherine stammered out.

"How would you two like to join me for some lunch in compartment C?" The man asked.

"Um . . . well . . . Professor . . ."

"Slughorn."

"Professor Slughorn, we'd love to, but-" Katherine started to say. She and Ginny tried to move past Slughorn, but he was ushering them down the corridor.

"Oh, nonsense, it will be fun." Slughorn said.

Katherine and Ginny had no choice, but to go into compartment C. A series of chairs were placed all around the compartment. Slughorn chose the most velvety and extravagant chair to sit in. Katherine and Ginny chose seats across from him.

"So, what are your names?" Slughorn asked.

"I'm Katherine Peters."

"Ginny Weasley."

"Pleasure." Slughorn smiled.

The door opened and a handsome black boy walked in followed by two seventh year boys. Slughorn stood up and greeted each of them. A few moments later, Harry and Neville walked in.

"Harry, m'boy!" Slughorn greeted with great enthusiasm. "And you must be Mr. Longbottom."

Neville nodded, looking scared as to why he was there.

"Do you know everyone?" Slughorn asked Harry and Neville. "This is Blaise Zabini, he's in your year-"

Zabini looked bored and didn't make any sign of greeting nor did Harry and Neville.

"This Cormac McLaggen-"

A large, wiry, handsome seventh year raised a hand.

"This is Marcus Belby-"

The other seventh year smiled nervously.

"And these ladies tell me that they know you." Slughorn finished.

Katherine waved while Ginny grimaced.

"Let's all eat." Slughorn said.

Everyone took their seats. Ginny sat in between Katherine and Harry, who sat next to Neville. McLaggen sat on Katherine's other side. Zabini sat closer to Slughorn, so that he was across from the Gryffindors. Belby sat between Slughorn and Neville.

Slughorn went around talking to everyone. He wasn't impressed with Belby because the boy does not talk to his famous uncle who created the Wolfsbane Potion. He was very impressed with McLaggen who goes on regular trips with Ministry officials, such as the new Minister for Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. Zabini had a beautiful mother who had been married seven times and each time her rich husbands died mysteriously. Neville's interview was awkward because Neville's parents had been tortured and Neville refuses to talk about it.

"And now, Harry Potter!" Slughorn said. "They're calling you 'The Chosen One' now."

Harry said nothing.

"Slughorn's star struck." Katherine whispered behind her napkin to Ginny, who had to hide her laughter behind her napkin.

"There have been rumors for year," Slughorn said. "After that . . . that night -Lily and James- and you survived . . . word was that you had extraordinary powers-"

Zabini gave a tiny cough that was expressing his amused skepticism. An angry voice burst out from next to Katherine.

"Oh, yeah, Zabini, because you're _oh-so _talented . . . at posing. . . ."

"He's not that talented, Ginny, or we would have heard of him." Katherine said, copying Narcissa's unpleasant smile.

"Oh dear!" Slughorn started chuckling. "You don't want to mess with these two, Blaise! I just saw Miss Weasley produce the most marvelous Bat-Bogey Hex! And Miss Peters did a spell that turned a person's skin green! What spell is that, Miss Peters?"

"One I invented." Katherine leaned back in her chair, looking smug.

"You must be very good at Charms." Slughorn commented.

"Well, I did get an Outstanding on my O.W.L." Katherine said, with an arrogant smile.

"It was a marvelous spell." Slughorn said.

"I hate to disagree with you, Professor, but it wasn't." Katherine said, holding back a smile.

"Oh? And why is that?" Slughorn asked.

"Because it was suppose to blast a person's hair off." Katherine said laughing. Slughorn looked at her, and then chuckled wholeheartedly.

"Anyway," Slughorn said, turning back to Harry. "All the stories this summer. . . . One doesn't know what to believe. . . . Take this fabled prophecy, for instance-"

"We didn't hear the prophecy." Neville said.

"That's right," Ginny said. "Katherine, Neville, and I were there. All this 'Chosen One' stuff is _Prophet_ rubbish."

"You were there, too?" Slughorn asked with great interest as he looked at Neville, Ginny, and Katherine. "I remember seeing pictures of you. Miss Peters, didn't you defeat Bellatrix Lestrange?"

Katherine leaned back further in her chair, smug. McLaggen, Belby, and Zabini stared at her with mouths agape.

"Now, now, Professor, I don't like to brag." Katherine said with an arrogant smile.

* * *

><p>The next day, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Katherine were waiting outside of Potions. Harry and Ron didn't have any of their potions supplies because they didn't expect to take the class. Snape required his N.E.W.T. classes to get an Outstanding on their Potions O.W.L., but Snape wasn't teaching the class anymore. Slughorn was perfectly happy to accept Exceeds Expectations students.<p>

There were only four Slytherins, including Draco, four Ravenclaws, and Ernie taking the class with the four Gryffindors. The door opened and Slughorn ushered them inside. The four Gryffindors and Ernie chose a table next to a gold cauldron.

Katherine froze and sucked in all her breath. Hermione turned to her with worry etched into her face.

_What's he doing here? Where is he?_ Katherine thought as she searched around the room frantically.

"Katherine, what's wrong?" Hermione whispered, grabbing Katherine's arm.

Katherine took a breath and his smell overwhelmed her. She stumbled a little, but Hermione caught her.

_Where is he?_ Katherine demanded.

She needed to see him. He was here. She needed him. He was here. She knew it. She could smell him. Memories flooded to the front of her mind and raced around her. They finally settled on one.

_Katherine._ His voice whispered so lovingly. _My darling Katherine._

"Katherine!" Hermione's frantic voice ripped Katherine from her memories.

"Hmm?" Katherine murmured.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, of course." Katherine said waving Hermione's concern away.

They sat down and Slughorn cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Harry raised his hand and told the Potions professor that he and Ron did not have any of their things. Slughorn sent them off to the back of the room to find copies of the textbook.

"Now," Slughorn said. "I have created a few potions for you to look at today. Can anyone tell me what this is?"

He pointed to a cauldron near Draco. It looked like boiling water. Hermione's hand was in the air way before anyone else's.

"Veritaserum, it forces the drinker to tell the truth." Hermione said.

"Very good!" Slughorn said happily. "Who can-?"

Hermione's hand was up again.

"It's Polyjuice Potion." Hermione said.

"Excellent, very good! Now, this one here . . . yes, dear?" Slughorn said as Hermione's hand was in the air again.

"Amortentia! It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" Hermione said.

"Quite right! Did you recognize it by its mother-of-pearl sheen?" Slughorn asked.

"And the steam rising in spirals," Hermione said, getting excited. "It smells different to each person, according to what attracts us. For example, I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and-"

Hermione turned pink and did not finish her sentence.

Katherine realized why she thought she smelled Cedric Diggory. Disappointment flashed briefly through her eyes as she realized he wasn't there.

"What's your name?" Slughorn asked Hermione.

"Hermione Granger." She answered.

"Granger? Are you related to Hector Dagworth-Granger?"

"I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born."

Slughorn looked at Hermione, then Harry, and then he beamed.

"Oh! '_One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!'_ Is this the friend you spoke of, Harry?"

"Yes, sir." Harry said.

"Well, take twenty points, Miss Granger." Slughorn said happily.

"Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year?" Hermione whispered to Harry with a radiant expression.

"You are the best! I'd have told him that if he asked!" Ron said, looking annoyed for no apparent reason. Hermione smiled and made a "shhing" gesture.

"Now, it's time to work." Slughorn said.

"Sir, you haven't told us about this one." Ernie Macmillan said while pointing at a small cauldron with a molten gold potion on Slughorn's desk.

"Oh!" Slughorn said dramatically. "That, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion known as Felix Felicis. I suppose you know what this potion does, Miss Granger?"

"It's liquid luck." Hermione answered.

Katherine looked up and smiled. Oh, the things she could do with liquid luck. Revenge for one thing; her leg would still hurt randomly on the weirdest of occasions.

"Correct, take another ten points!" Slughorn said. "Today, this little potion will be a prize. Turn to page ten and whichever one of you manages to produce the best attempt at the Draught of Living Death, will win the prize. Ready? Set? Go!"

The classroom dove into its work. Katherine began chopping up her valerian roots and her cauldron emitted a bluish steam. Katherine looked over at Hermione's potion which was already at the half-way stage. Driven by a desire for winning, Katherine began attempting to cut up her sopophorous bean.

"Can I borrow your silver dagger?" Katherine heard Harry asked Hermione.

Katherine's bean did not want to be cut. So, Katherine put all her weight on her knife and, finally, some juice came out. She quickly scooped it into her cauldron and her potion turned almost lilac.

_Close enough_. She told herself as she moved on to the next line.

She stole another look at Hermione's potion and mentally cursed. So, she started stirring her potion like there was no tomorrow. Some of it sloshed out and got on her hand and sleeve. She started at her hand in amazement. Shouldn't it feel hot or feel cold or sting or zap her skin? But no, she felt nothing. So, she wiped it off and returned to her fanatical stirring.

"Time's up!" Slughorn called. "Instruments down, hands up!"

Slughorn moved through the classroom. He made no comment to any of the potions. He reached the four Gryffindors' table. He cocked his head in confusion at Katherine's.

"You're missing half of your potion, Miss Peters." Slughorn said.

Katherine held up her damp sleeve in explanation and smiled. Slughorn chuckled as he moved on. He smiled ruefully at Ron's crap in a pot. He gave Hermione's potion an approving nod. When he saw Harry's, a look of delight spread over his face.

"The clear winner!" Slughorn cried. "You've inherited your mother's talent for potions. Here you are! One bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised. Use it well, Harry, m'boy!"

Harry took the bottle and slipped it in his pocket. He looked over at Katherine who smiled at him and silently clapped her hands for him.

* * *

><p>Later, they were eating dinner at the Gryffindor table. Harry told them about how his copy of <em>Advanced Potion-Making<em> had notes scribbled on it and that was how he won Felix Felicis. Hermione's face was getting stonier and stonier as he went on.

"You think I cheated, don't you?" Harry asked Hermione.

"It's not exactly your own work." Hermione said stiffly.

"What's this?" Ginny said by Harry's ear as she joined them. "Have you been taking orders from what someone wrote in a book, Harry?

Ginny looked alarmed and angry. Katherine put her hand over Ginny's as the red-haired girl remembered her first year at Hogwarts.

"It's not like Riddle's diary, Ginny." Harry said reassuringly. "It's just something someone wrote in an old textbook."

"But you're doing what it says?"

"I just tried a few tips that were written in the margins-"

"Ginny's right," Hermione said. "We need to make sure that there's nothing odd with it."

"Hey!" Harry protested as Hermione pulled out his copy and raised her wand.

"_Specialis Revelio!_" She said, whacking the cover of the book.

Nothing happened.

"I guess it's fine." Katherine said as Harry took back his book.

The cover opened slightly and Katherine caught sight of some writing. She grabbed Harry's book from him and opened it.

_This Book is Property of the Half-Blood Prince_. Katherine read to herself.

"What is it, Katherine?" Hermione asked.

Katherine looked up to see four pairs of eyes looking at her suspiciously. She smiled, closed the book, and handed it back to Harry.

"Nothing."


	33. Chapter 33

**MinervaWhite caught up, so I get to update. Yay!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 33<em>

"Tryouts better not take a long time, Harry, I've got to practice nonverbal spells." Katherine said as she sat down at Gryffindor table for breakfast.

"I don't know if you'll be able to; a ton of people signed up." Harry said as he scratched his head. "I don't know why the team's so popular this year."

"Oh, really, Harry," Hermione said impatiently. "It's not the team's that popular, it's you! You're more interesting and you're more fanciable this year."

Ron started choking on something he was eating. Katherine whacked his back and he stopped. Hermione gave him an annoyed look before turning back to Harry.

"Everyone knows you're telling the truth now. The whole Wizarding world has to admit that you were right about Voldemort being back. And now you're the Chosen One. So, can you see why people are fascinated by you?"

Harry's cheeks turned a little red.

"And you went through all that persecution by the Ministry last year. You can see still the marks on the back of your hand from the vile woman's quill. Yet, you stuck to your story-"

"Hey! I've still got those marks for those brains in the Ministry, look," Ron said as he shook back his sleeves.

"And it doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer," Hermione finished, ignoring Ron.

"I'm tall," Ron said.

"Ready to go to the pitch?" Katherine asked as she held in laughter at Ron's expression.

The four stood up and walked to the pitch. When they passed Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, Parvati elbowed Lavender, who turned around and flashed Ron a big smile. Ron blinked and returned the smile nervously. But his walk suddenly turned it to a strut. Katherine was biting down on her lip to keep from laughing. She looked over at Hermione, who was looking cold, and Katherine stopped laughing.

When they got to the pitch, Hermione went into the stands and Katherine cocked her head in confusion at the huge crowd. It looked like every Gryffindor, first year to seventh, had showed up.

"I'm going to go wait by Hermione." Katherine told Harry before she left.

Hermione was sitting on the bottom stand so she could talk with the people on the pitch. She still seemed cold and distant about the Lavender thing.

"He'll come around." Katherine said, lowering her voice so that only Hermione could hear her.

Hermione blinked at her in surprise. "I thought you didn't approve of Ron."

"This isn't about me." Katherine replied with a soft smile.

Then, a hand tapped Katherine's shoulder. She turned around to see the large, wiry-haired boy from Slughorn's party.

"We met on the train." He said.

"Yes, I remember you, McLaggen." Katherine said.

Cormac McLaggen was wearing a Keeper's pads and shouldering his broom. His eyes flicked from Hermione back to Katherine, and then to Hermione again.

"Forgive me, I'm forgetting my manners." Katherine said. "Hermione, this is Cormac McLaggen. McLaggen, this is Hermione Granger."

Hermione extended her hand to McLaggen, who held it tightly and brushed his lips across her knuckles. When he released her hand, he flashed her a big smile.

"Alright!" Harry yelled. "Everyone, divide up into groups of ten and we'll do basic flying right now."

Katherine joined a group with Ginny and Ron. She sat down on the ground and made herself comfortable. Ginny looked down at her and Katherine patted the grass next to her. Ginny sat down and gave Katherine a curious look.

"This is going to take a long time, might as well be comfortable." Katherine explained. Ginny nodded her approval.

The first group was a bunch of first years that had never ridden a broom before. Harry shooed them away after a big crash. The second group consisted of the third year girls that had asked for Katherine's and Ginny's autographs on the train. Harry made them leave, too. The third group crashed into each other. The fourth group did not have any brooms. The fifth group were Hufflepuffs.

"Anyone who is not from Gryffindor, leave now, please!" Harry roared. There was a short pause, and then a couple of Ravenclaws left the pitch.

Katherine and Ginny stood up and joined the rest of the students trying out for Chasers. It took about an hour before Harry narrowed the list down to five; Katie Bell, Demelza Robins, a third year, Ginny, and Katherine.

"Your turn, Katherine." Harry said after the other four went up.

Katherine smiled and jumped on her broom. She smirked to herself as she saw how big the crowd had gotten.

_ Time for a show_. Katherine thought to herself.

Harry bewitched the two Bludgers to go after Katherine. The first Bludger raced towards her head. Katherine remained still and calmly examined her nails. The whizzing of the Bludger got louder and louder. Finally, when it sounded like a storm of angry bees, Katherine pointed the nose of her broom down and the Bludger barely missed hitting her.

Katherine swooped down and Harry passed her the Quaffle. She flew to the half way mark and stood up on her broom. Then, she launched the Quaffle at the goal posts. The crowd sucked in its breath as it watched the Quaffle soar through the air. The Quaffle flew through the middle post and the crowd let out a great cheer.

Katherine sat back down on her broom and raced towards the goal posts. When she got closer, she tilted her broom to where she was almost upside down. Her left hand grabbed the top of the middle post and she swung herself to make a one eighty degree turn. Katherine flew through the goal posts and bowed to the crowd, who was cheering her.

Katherine landed to see Harry rolling his eyes with an amused smile on his lips. She shrugged and smiled a smile that said, _What can I say? I'm fabulous._

"The new Chasers are Katie Bell, Ginny Weasley, and Katherine Peters." Harry said.

The rejected Chasers left the pitch and went to go sit in the stands. Katherine and Ginny went to go sit with Hermione, who was wearing a slightly disgusted look on her face. The three watched the Beater tryouts. He ended up choosing Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote.

"Ginny, come help me with the Keepers!" Harry yelled.

Ginny got up and walked over to Harry. The first five saved no more than two goals apiece. Cormac McLaggen had saved four so far and he had just one goal left to save.

"_Confundus._" Katherine could have sworn she heard Hermione breathe, but when she looked over, Hermione was sitting innocently.

Ginny threw the Quaffle at the goal and McLaggen flew off in the wrong direction. The crowd laughed as McLaggen landed.

Ron was the last one to go and he looked like he'd rather be vomiting in a corner. But, he did fine. He saved all five goals.

"Hermione," Katherine whispered. "Did you just cheat?"

"No!" Hermione said too quickly as she blushed.

"Don't mess with Quidditch, Hermione." Katherine said trying to keep a serious face.

"You should have heard what he was saying about Ron and Ginny." Hermione protested.

"Did he get what he deserved?" Katherine asked.

"Yes."

"Well, it's okay, then."

* * *

><p>The four were walking to dinner, when Professor Slughorn stopped them. He clapped Harry on the back.<p>

"Harry, m'boy," Slughorn boomed happily. "We're having a little party up in my rooms. McLaggen and Zabini have agreed to come along with Melinda Bobbin. Miss Peters, you and Miss Granger are welcome to come, as well."

"I can't come, Professor." Harry said. "I have a detention with Professor Snape."

"Oh dear!" Slughorn said. "Perhaps next time. Miss Peters and Miss Granger, I will see you later."

* * *

><p>Slughorn continued to have little parties, but Harry kept scheduling Quidditch practice whenever he got an invitation. So, Katherine, Harry, and Ginny left Hermione alone. Harry mostly did not go because he was trying to keep Ron happy.<p>

It was halfway through October and it was time for the first Hogsmeade trip. The trip was cold and the wind was howling , and it was not fun at all. After only a couple of hours, they decided to start heading back.

Katie Bell and one of her friends were walking ahead of the four. The two girls were having an argument over something Katie was carrying. Katherine watched as Katie's friend tried to grab hold of a package in Katie's hand, Katie tugged it back, and it fell to the ground.

Slowly and gracefully, Katie rose in the air. But it was eerie. The wind was whipping her hair, but her eyes were closed and her face blank. All five watching the scene was frozen in shock.

Then, Katie let loose a terrible scream. Her eyes flew open and whatever she could only see was causing her great pain. She screamed and screamed. Katherine ran forward and grabbed Katie's ankle in an attempt to pull her down. The others ran forward to help and Katie collapsed on top of them. Harry and Ron tried to get her to sit still, but she was thrashing around too much.

"Get back!" A familiar voice roared. Katherine looked over her shoulder to see Hagrid. The half-giant picked up Katie and ran towards the castle.

"C'mon, we need to get back." Katherine said with urgency in her voice.

Harry took off his scarf and he carefully wrapped up a necklace that was in the package. Katherine placed her hand on Katie's friend's arm.

"It's Leanne, isn't it?" Katherine said gently.

The friend nodded, looking stunned.

"She'll be fine." Katherine said reassuringly.

Leanne nodded again, but didn't seem to have heard Katherine. Katherine slung her arm around Leanne's shoulder and led everyone to the castle. Professor McGonagall was running out the front door to meet them.

"Hagrid said that you five saw what happened to Miss Bell." Professor McGonagall said hurriedly. "What's that you're holding, Potter?"

"The thing she touched." Harry answered.

"My!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "Come to my office, quickly!"

They followed their worried professor into her office. Leanne told Professor McGonagall what happened, but was interrupting herself with sobbing. When it seemed that she could no longer continue, Professor McGonagall told her to go to the Hospital Wing to get something for shock.

"What happened when Katie touched the necklace?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"She rose up," Harry said before the others could speak. "And started to scream, and then collapsed. Professor, can I see Professor Dumbledore, please?"

"Professor Dumbledore is away until Monday." Professor McGonagall said surprised.

"Away?" Harry repeated.

"Yes, away, Potter!" Professor McGonagall said tartly. "But anything you have to say can be said to me, I am sure!"

"I think Draco Malfoy gave Katie the necklace." Harry said.

Ron rubbed his nose in embarrassment, while Hermione shifted her feet so that she was moving farther away from Harry. Katherine looked up as if there was something very intriguing on the ceiling.

"That's a very serious accusation, Potter." Professor McGonagall said. "Do you have any proof?"

"No," Harry confessed.

"I'll have you know, Potter, Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today." Professor McGonagall said.

"How do you know?" Harry asked, deflating somewhat.

"He was doing detention with me. He has failed twice to complete his homework twice in a row." Professor McGonagall said. "Now, I must go see Miss Bell."

Katherine remained rooted to the spot as the Transfiguration professor tried to usher the four teenagers out of her office.

"Draco hasn't done his homework?" Katherine asked with a troubled look on her face.

"That's what I said, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said, still flustered from her the day's events.

"That doesn't sound like him." Katherine muttered with her brow furrowed.


	34. Chapter 34

**This a shorter chapter than usual. I am going to start skipping around because I really want to start writing the seventh year.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 34<em>

Hermione and Katherine were in the Common Room alone. It was very late, but the two girls were unable to sleep. Katherine was standing in front of the window and practicing nonverbal spells. Hermione had her nose in a book, but was distracted by Katherine's annoyed sighs from time to time.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked when she couldn't take it anymore.

Katherine stopped practicing spells and turned to look at Hermione. She sighed again and looked out the window. Hermione noticed that Katherine's fist clenched around her wand.

"I'm so frustrated." Katherine whispered with her back to Hermione. "There's a war going on, but we're stuck here. I could be helping the Order. I could be fighting."

"But you still need to learn." Hermione said.

"I will learn from experience. I will learn on the battlefield." Katherine said fiercely.

"What if you die?" Hermione asked.

Katherine turned her head to the side and smirked. "I'm not going to die on the battlefield; I'm too good."

Katherine went back to looking out the window. Hermione was silent as she studied her friend. Katherine's back was straight and held in almost a military pose. Hermione saw that Katherine was ready to go out and fight. Hermione could already imagine Katherine leading an army, being in the front line, yelling out orders, and being an inspiration. Katherine would fight for her friends, their families, for Cedric, and for her parents.

"Katherine," Hermione said, ripping both girls out of their reveries. "Who were your parents?"

Katherine turned around slowly, looking at the floor, with a smile that could almost be called apologetic. She looked up and there was a twinkle in her eye.

"I don't know." Katherine answered. Hermione's jaw dropped and she blinked at Katherine.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Hermione asked, flabbergasted. "How can you not know who your own parents were?"

"I never asked." Katherine said, still smiling.

"Why not?"

"I know myself too well, Hermione. I know that if I knew who my parents were, I would become obsessed with finding out everything about them. That means finding out who killed them. Hermione, I would be unable to think clearly because revenge would consume me. I am no help to anyone nor would I be able to complete my self-appointed mission to avenge my parents if I am blinded by emotions."

"Emotions are what keep us from being Death Eaters." Hermione whispered.

"I'm not saying that I don't feel emotions. I'm saying that I control them so they don't blind me and make me unable to complete my duty." Katherine said.

"Why don't you aren't you out avenging Cedric?" Hermione asked.

Katherine's fist clenched at the same time as her jaw. A shadow crossed her face, but then was gone.

"Because he wouldn't want me to and Voldemort's not mine to kill." Katherine said.

"You won't avenge Cedric because Harry is supposed to kill Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

"The best I can do to avenge Cedric is to take out as many of Voldemort's followers as possible." Katherine said.

"Come sit." Hermione said.

Katherine walked over and sat in the armchair next to the one Hermione was in.

"Let's talk." Hermione said. Katherine raised her eyebrows.

"About what?" Katherine asked cautiously.

"About how you've changed." Hermione said. Katherine smiled amused.

"I haven't changed, Hermione." Katherine said with an amused glint in her eye.

"Yes, you have." Hermione persisted. "You used to wear your heart on your sleeve, now you hardly show your emotions. There is a wall in your eyes. It's been there ever since the night of the third task. It has retreated, but it's still there."

Katherine looked down at her hands.

"I think I know why it's there." Hermione whispered. "Everyone saw you lose control that night. Three schools saw you in your most vulnerable place, and you hate to be seen as weak. You've constructed a wall and you hide your emotions behind it. You were strong before, but now you make yourself appear even stronger."

Katherine looked up at Hermione, looked her straight in the eye. Hermione saw something flicker in those green eyes. Suddenly, Katherine stood up and her face was set like flint. Her eyes stopped flickering.

"I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Katherine said before she walked up the stairs rather quickly.

Hermione opened her mouth to call her back, but decided not to. Hermione started questioning what went wrong. Then she realized what happened. The wall behind Katherine's eyes shook, the wall almost came down. But Katherine wasn't ready for that. She built the wall up again and shrank away from the pain.

* * *

><p>What Hermione did not know is that Katherine let the wall fall once she jumped into her bed. She closed her curtains, performed a Silencing Charm, and buried her head in her pillow. She allowed the pain to fill her and she cried into her pillow. All her limbs shook, her pulse pounded in her head, and her ears were ringing.<p>

Katherine didn't know how long she cried, but once she was done, she felt hollow. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the top of her four poster bed. Then she was filled with a sense of wanting to do something.

Katherine rolled out of bed and silently crept out of the dormitory. She slithered into the boys' dormitory, borrowed Harry's Cloak and the Marauder's Map, and then walked out towards the Room of Requirement.

_I need a place to work out._ Katherine thought as the wooden door appeared before her.

Inside, there was a punching bag, a set of a dozen dummies, a row of fencing foils, a small table near the door, and a wall of mirrors. Katherine set the Cloak and the Map on the table. With great reluctance, she removed Cedric's ring. She did not want to lose it while training.

Katherine stepped up to the punching bag first. Her right fist collided with a satisfying thud. Slowly, she threw her left fist into the bag as the right fist came back. She started to increase speed. Left. Right. Left. Right. She focused all her energy and concentration on the mechanics of punching.

After a half hour, Katherine stopped. She took a breath before walking over to the fencing foils. She went through and carefully picked up each foil. She picked a foil and went to the center of the room, facing the wall of mirrors.

Katherine moved through positions. She practiced her thrust until she was satisfied with the speed and her ability to get back into a ready position. Then she started her combinations. Parry, block, slash, parry, thrust, thrust, thrust, block, lunge, back, back, block, and slash.

When she was happy that she was still as good as the last time she practiced, she called forth one of the dummies. It came to life and grabbed a foil. They walked to where they were ten paces away with swords raised and left arms curved up in the air. The dummy lunged forward, Katherine easily parried the blow. She slashed at its head with such speed that it raised its sword too late.

Katherine smirked as she called forth another dummy. Both dummies charged at her and she moved quickly, blocking each sword perfectly. She twirled, slashed, and disarmed both of them in seconds. Katherine straightened while smirking and she dismissed them.

Katherine put her foil away and walked over to the small table. There, while she was thinking about asking, two sheets of parchment, a quill, and ink appeared on the table. She sat down and pulled one sheet towards her. She started to write a list of all who had died.

"Cedric Diggory," She muttered as she wrote. "Sirius Black. . . . Mrs. Abbott. . . . Madam Bones. . . ."

And so she went on until she had written down all the names of those who had died during the Second Wizarding War. When she finished, she pulled the other sheet towards her and began to write a list of the Dark.

"Lord Voldemort," Katherine muttered as she wrote. "Bellatrix Lestrange. . . . Rodolphus Lestrange. . . . Rabastan Lestrange. . . . Yaxley. . . . Antonin Dolohov. . . . Lucius Malfoy. . . ."

Katherine finished the list a few moments later. She looked at the list of those that died.

"I will fight for you." Katherine whispered, promising.

Katherine then turned her attention to the list of the Dark. She wanted all of them dead. All of them, except Lucius; she couldn't admit to wanting Lucius dead.

He was her father. He had always taken care of her. He paid for her clothes, her school supplies, her friends' gifts, and anything she ever wanted. She owed him and Narcissa so much. And Narcissa would be completely heartbroken if Lucius died.

"Well, if it comes down to it, I won't kill him." Katherine promised.


	35. Chapter 35

**Okay, I completely skipped most of the spring term. This chapter goes from Christmas to the Sectumsempra spell. I really want to write the seventh year, so that's why.**

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><p><em>Chapter 35<em>

Gryffindor won the first Quidditch match of the season. After the match, Ron kissed Lavender Brown in front of the entire Common Room. Katherine did not see the encounter because she was trying to find Draco; he hadn't played in the match. After hours of searching and being unable to find her brother, she returned to Gryffindor Tower. It was nearly midnight and the Common Room was deserted.

Or so she thought.

A strangled cry from one of the armchairs halted Katherine. She rushed to the armchair when she saw the bushy brown hair. Hermione was sitting with a blank look on her face as tears trickled down her face.

"Hermione," Katherine whispered.

"I'm alright." Hermione said in a husky voice.

"No, you're not." Katherine said.

Hermione turned to Katherine, whose expression softened. Hermione fell into Katherine's embrace and cried into Katherine's shoulder.

"What's wrong? Is it Ron?" Katherine asked, quietly and gently, but with an edge creeping into her voice.

"He . . ." Hermione hiccupped. "Kissed Lavender."

"I'm sorry." Katherine said sincerely.

Hermione let go of Katherine and looked at her in the eye.

"Don't." Hermione whispered.

"Don't do what?" Katherine asked.

"Kill him." Hermione said. "You've got that 'I'm going to kill him' look in your eyes."

"Well, I am. I would be now, but you need me." Katherine said.

"I don't want him hurt." Hermione said.

Katherine's face twisted with conflict. She wanted to hurt Ron for hurting Hermione, but she didn't want to hurt Hermione by hurting Ron.

"Fine." Katherine huffed. "Ronald will live, but, I promise you, next time this happens, I will kill him."

* * *

><p>Christmas was around the corner and Slughorn was hosting a Christmas Party for the Slug Club. Harry was going with Luna Lovegood. Hermione was going with Cormac McLaggen because she was trying to piss Ron off. Katherine forgot to get a date because she was spending most of her time comforting Hermione.<p>

Katherine walked with Hermione and McLaggen to Slughorn's office. Katherine was dressed in an emerald dress that stopped at her knees and was wearing silver heels.

"You look like a Slytherin." McLaggen commented with Hermione on his arm.

"Shut it, McLaggen." Katherine said, mock threatening him.

They reached Slughorn's office and saw that it was much larger than a usual teacher's office. House-elves scurried around with plates of food and glasses filled to the brim. People had already arrived and the three squeezed through the door.

McLaggen took Hermione away and disappeared with her. Katherine grabbed a glass and settled in for some people-watching. It was very entertaining. Some of the couples could not dance to save their lives, so they settled for just swaying with their arms around each other. Other couples, like Zabini and his date, were gracefully entrancing the audience with their dancing.

Katherine noticed Harry and Luna, and she walked over to them. Slughorn was praising Harry on his remarkable potions ability. Katherine rolled her eyes, knowing that it was really the _Half-Blood Prince._

Suddenly, the door was thrown open and Filch was dragging Draco by the ear. Katherine was startled for a moment.

"Professor Slughorn," Filch wheezed. "This boy was lurking in a corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and was late."

"Draco!" Katherine cried as she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. "I thought you had stood me up."

"Sorry, babe, I took a nap and woke up five minutes ago." Draco's free arm wrapped around her waist as he spoke.

"There you see, Argus, he was invited. Let Mr. Malfoy go." Slughorn said. Filch let go of Draco and looked very disappointed.

Draco wrapped his other arm around her and held her close.

"Thank you." He whispered so that only she could hear. "I don't think I could take another detention."

"Ya, we're going to talk about that." Katherine whispered in his ear.

"Draco, a word." Snape's voice said from behind Katherine. She felt Draco tense.

"Certainly, Professor." Draco nearly snarled.

Draco let go off Katherine, but she grabbed his arm and leaned in close.

"I just told a whole room of people that you were my date, so you better come back." She said quietly in a deathly sugary voice.

"I will. Don't worry." Draco said before he kissed her forehead.

* * *

><p>It was Christmas Eve and Narcissa was out. Katherine assumed she was with Bellatrix, but Katherine didn't know nor wanted to know for sure. Katherine was in her room, reading a new book that she could not put down. Draco was asleep in his room.<p>

Katherine's nose was moving closer to the book as she was being pulled in. She was almost lost in the world the author had created, when a scream ripped her from it. Katherine threw the book aside and jumped out of bed. She was running as another scream pierced the quiet house.

Katherine burst into Draco's room to see her brother thrashing about. His covers were kicked off and were tangled at the end of the bed. He was shaking and shivering. Katherine flew to his side and shook him.

His eyes flew open and they were searching around frantically. When he realized she was there, he threw his arms around her, and held onto her like he was drowning. Katherine wrapped her arms around him and his head was pressing against her shoulder.

"It's alright." Katherine whispered.

Draco moaned and shook his head against her shoulder.

"What happened?" Katherine asked softly.

"Bad dream." Draco groaned.

"Tell me." Katherine rubbed Draco's back and stroked his blond hair.

"Dad . . . was dead . . ." Draco shivered and clung to her tighter. "Mom . . . mom was dead, too."

"It's alright, Draco." Katherine whispered. "They're fine."

Draco shook his head violently. "No, no, no. Th-th-they were dead."

"Draco, I promise you that they're fine." Katherine said.

"You were dead, too." Draco moaned.

Katherine held him tighter.

"But I'm not. I'm right here. I'm fine." Katherine assured him.

"I killed you all." Draco groaned.

"It was just a dream." Katherine said.

She pulled away from him enough to look him in the eye. She gripped both of his shoulders and he clung to her elbows.

"Draco, listen to me." Katherine commanded quietly. "It was just a dream."

"Ya, just a dream." Draco repeated, but he didn't seem to believe her.

Katherine gently laid Draco back down. She pulled the covers free of their twists and covered her shivering brother. Draco grabbed her wrist.

"Stay." He pleaded.

Katherine nodded and crawled under the covers. Draco moved to where there was barely an inch between them. He rested his head on her shoulder and clasped her hand in his. Eventually, they both fell asleep.

* * *

><p>The creaking of the door opening woke Katherine up. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. The person in the doorway flicked on the lights. Draco moaned a little and moved his head so that his eyes were blocked from the light.<p>

The clicking of heels on wood filled the room. Narcissa came to the bed with worry etched onto her face.

"Draco had a nightmare. He asked me to stay." Katherine said by way of explanation.

Narcissa nodded in understanding. Katherine looked closer at her mother and saw that Narcissa's eyes were puffy and red.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked.

"Nothing, sweetheart." Narcissa said, but Katherine knew she was lying.

"Come here." Katherine said.

Narcissa kicked off her heels and climbed under the covers. She lied down on the other side of Katherine. The elder witch mimicked her son's position. Her head was resting on Katherine's shoulder and she clasped Katherine's other hand.

The lights were flicked back off. Mother and son fell asleep, but Katherine could not. These two needed her, but she didn't know why. She knew she had to comfort them, but she didn't know the reasons for their distress.

But she would be there for them.

* * *

><p>It was months after Christmas and Katherine had hardly seen Draco. Anytime she saw him, though, he looked extremely ill and thin. But when she tried to find out what was wrong, he always told her that he was fine.<p>

Katherine was in Charms with her friends. Harry was telling them about how he managed to get the memory Dumbledore asked for from Slughorn. Then he told them about Horcruxes and how he was going to have to destroy all of them if he wanted to kill Voldemort. And Dumbledore said that Harry could go with him to get one.

* * *

><p>It was May and the Quidditch team was doing better since Katie Bell was back. Ginny and Dean were not dating anymore nor were Ron and Lavender. These two events made Harry and Hermione much more agreeable to live with.<p>

Harry kept trying to convince the others that Draco was a Death Eater, but Katherine always shut that idea down. She told Harry that if Draco was a Death Eater, he would have been bragging about it all day.

Katherine was walking to the Common Room alone because she had been attempting for the millionth time to get Professor McGonagall to let her join the Order. She failed.

Suddenly, Harry rushed past her, soaking wet and covered in blood. She threw him a confused look as he ran.

"Harry!" She yelled as she ran after him. She grabbed his arm and twisted him around. "Where's the fire?"

"I . . . I . . ." Harry sputtered as he struggled to take a breath. "I casted _Sectumsempra_ on Malfoy. He and I were dueling, and he was about to use the Cruciatus Curse, but I was quicker."

"Is he alright?" Katherine asked as fear seized her heart.

"Snape took him to the Hospital Wing. But he was bleeding and looked like I cut him with a sword. It's bad. Blood . . . everywhere . . ." Harry sighed and ran a hand through his jet black hair.

Katherine released Harry and ran to the Hospital Wing. She charged into the Hospital Wing and searched it quickly for Draco. Curtains were drawn around a bed near Madam Pomfrey's office. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight.

Katherine raced to the bed and threw back the curtains. A very pale, thin Draco was lying on the bed with blood soaked clothes. Katherine fell to her knees and grasped Draco's right hand. She gently raised the hand to her cheek. Lightly, the fingertips brushed her cheek. Katherine looked up to see Draco still asleep.

Katherine relaxed because he was moving and he was, therefore, alright. Katherine watched him sleep, while muttering thank yous to no one in particular.

Suddenly, Draco arched forward and started coughing like he was getting hit in the stomach over and over again. Then, he fell back onto the pillows, and then his chest stopped moving. Katherine froze, waiting to see if it would move again. It didn't.

"Draco. Draco." Katherine whispered panicky, shaking him, and then she started yelling. "Madam Pomfrey! MADAM POMFREY!"

Madam Pomfrey ran out of her office, waved her wand, and slammed her fist against Draco's abdomen.

Silence fell over the Hospital Wing.

Suddenly, Draco sucked in a breath and starting breathing again. Katherine let out a cry of relief and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"I thought I lost you." Katherine breathed.

Draco groaned and moaned.

"Wounds." He choked out.

"Sorry, sorry." Katherine said, detangling herself from Draco.

"Drink this, Mr. Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey commanded as she handed him a potion.

Draco drank it as Katherine pulled up a chair. Madam Pomfrey checked Draco and told him to get some rest before she retreated back to her office.

"You're covered in blood." Draco commented, his voice hoarse.

"It's from hugging you." Katherine said.

"Tackling me, you mean." Draco said weakly with a small smile. The corners of Katherine's lips twitched.

Draco opened his right hand and Katherine laid hers in his. His fingers closed around her hand.

"How d'you know I was here?" Draco asked softly.

"I ran into Harry and he told me." Katherine said. Draco's face contorted.

"I bet Potter was complaining about how he was attacked by the evil Draco Malfoy. I bet-"

"No." Katherine said sharply, glaring at Draco. "No, Harry told me exactly what happened."

"So he told you how it was his fault-"

"It was both of your faults, Draco." Katherine said bitingly. "Don't you act like a five year old, pointing your finger at Harry because it was both of your faults. You almost hit him with the Cruciatus Curse."

"But he hit me with this." Draco said waving his other friend over his bloody torso.

"And that's why you both are at fault." Katherine said.


	36. Chapter 36

**Okay, I'm following the movie battle by making Bellatrix take part. Other than that, it's the book version.**

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><p><em>Chapter 36<em>

It was the end of June and Katherine was sitting in the Common Room with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. It was late and Harry was at his lesson with Dumbledore. Suddenly, the portrait flew open and Harry raced through.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, but Harry ran straight past her and up the stairs. All of four of them looked at each other, and then looked at the stairs. Harry came back down almost as quickly as he went up and he stopped where they were sitting.

"I'm going with Dumbledore." Harry panted.

Harry shoved the Marauder's Map into Hermione's hands.

"You need to watch for Malfoy." Harry said and he talked quicker, stopping the others' interruptions. "He has the perfect chance, since Dumbledore will be gone. Just watch him."

Harry threw a small potion into Ron's hands.

"It's Felix Felicis." Harry explained. "Share it with each other."  
>"No, Harry, you'll need it. Who knows what you could be facing?" Katherine said.<p>

"I'll be fine." Harry said as he crossed the room to Ginny. He pulled her up and kissed her for a moment. He let go of her and started walking to the portrait.

"You better come back, Harry, safe and sound." Katherine said.

"You keep yourself safe." Harry said.

"Nothing's going to happen, Harry." Katherine said. "Draco's not a Death Eater."

Harry shook his head and went out. The four stood in silence a moment.

"Take the potion." Katherine said as she took the Marauder's Map from Hermione. She found Tonks's dot in the Entrance Hall. "Hermione, do you still have the D.A. coins?"

"Yes." Hermione said, slightly confused.

"Contact all the D.A. members." Katherine said.

"Do you think Malfoy's going to sneak Death Eaters in?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think that at all." Katherine said. "But I know that something always happens at the end of the year and, this time, we're going to be ready."

Katherine pulled out her wand and gave the Map back to Hermione.

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.

"I'm going to help the Order." Katherine said as she strode out of the Common Room. Katherine hurried down to the entrance hall. When Tonks saw her, the Auror rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Tonks said in a half-hearted attempt at a joke. Katherine noticed how drawn and ill Tonks was becoming. Her hair was still the mousy brown color and her clothes seemed shabbier than usual.

"I'm here to help." Katherine said with a charming smile.

"Help?" Tonks asked.

"Patrol. Keep an eye out for Death Eaters. Stuff like that." Katherine said, still smiling.

"You're-"

"Don't you dare say 'too young,' Nymphadora-"

"Don't call me Nymphadora-"

"-You're only eight years old than me!" Katherine protested, ignoring Tonks. "I've been in as many dangerous situations as any Auror! I can help!"

Tonks's lips twitched barely.

"Well, little one, I don't want you to get hurt, but I know that you will do something dangerously stupid if I deny you. So," Tonks breathed. "You can patrol with me."

"Yessssss!" Katherine said, and then became serious. "I mean, thank you, Auror Tonks. I will patrol with the best of my ability."

Tonks rolled her eyes.

* * *

><p>Tonks and Katherine were walking up to the seventh floor, when they heard an explosion. The two looked each other before running off to the source of the sound. A cloud of dark dust engulfed the entire floor. They could see nothing.<p>

Suddenly, a jet of red light came at them. Katherine quickly casted a Shield Charm and the light bounced back it the dust.

It was silent for a moment, then a force blew out of the cloud, hit the two, and threw them down the stairs. Katherine tumbled, and then righted herself in time to see Tonks almost go over the railing. Katherine's hand shot out, grabbed Tonks's arm, and pulled the Auror to safety.

"C'mon." Katherine said and they ran back up the steps.

The dust still hung over the floor, but no jets of light came at them.

"Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder." Tonks declared.

"I'm going in." Katherine said.

"You won't be able to get out. You'll get lost." Tonks said.

"Conjure a rope. I'll tie it around my waist, while you hold on to the end." Katherine said. Tonks nodded and conjured the rope. Katherine tied it around her waist, gripped her wand, and saluted Tonks.

Katherine walked cautiously into the darkness with her wand at the ready. Her left hand was outstretched in front of her. Her fingertips brushed against something that jumped away and cursed.

"Ron?" Katherine asked.

"Katherine?" Ron's face appeared before her, closer than she would have liked, but that was the only way she could see him.

"Who's with you?" Katherine asked.

"Ginny and Neville." Ron responded.

"Grab them." Katherine said as she grabbed Ron's arm. "I'll lead us out."

Ron nodded and Katherine saw two pairs of hands gripping his other arm. Katherine turned around and followed the rope out of the darkness. Light and Tonks greeted her with relief.

"You've got them?" Tonks asked as the other three tumbled out of the cloud.

"I wouldn't have returned if I didn't have them all." Katherine answered as the rope disappeared.

"What happened?" Tonks asked Ron.

"We were watching the Room of Requirement, when that cloud appeared. We heard people brush past us and we recognized Bellatrix Lestrange's voice." Ron answered.

Tonks and Katherine looked at each other wide-eyed.

"Tonks, you've got to stay away from her." Katherine whispered commandingly.

"But-" Tonks started to say, but was silenced by the look Katherine gave her. "Fine."

"Death Eaters have infuriated Hogwarts." Katherine pronounced, taking command. "Tonks, who else is patrolling?"

"Remus and Bill."

"You need to go find them." Katherine said. "Ron, where are they headed?"

Ron looked down at the Map. "The Astronomy Tower."

"Ron, go with Tonks. As soon as you find the others, head to the Astronomy Tower." Katherine ordered. "Neville and Ginny, go wake Professor McGonagall and tell her what's happened."

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.

"To the Astronomy Tower." Katherine said, and then she raised a hand to stop Tonks from protesting. "Don't worry, I won't attack until you all join me. Now, go!"

They split off into opposite directions. Katherine ran to the Astronomy Tower, but she walked quietly when she got closer. She heard voices barely attempting to whisper. Katherine hid behind a statue and didn't dare to peek out.

"Where's Dumbledore?" A voice layered with impatience said.

"Comin', Greyback. Rosmerta said that 'e went to 'og's 'ead. 'E'll be 'ere soon." A gruff female voice said.

Katherine's blood went cold as she recognized the name of the most feared werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. Thank goodness it wasn't the full moon.

"Don't worry, Fenrir." A deadly sweet voice said. "You'll get some children tonight."

Katherine's blood froze, and then heated up as she recognized her demented aunt's voice. Her grip tightened around her wand.

_Calm down._ She told herself. _Revenge will only cloud your thoughts. And besides, you are fully healed; no permanent damage_ _at all. Relax._

Katherine looked up to see Remus and Bill followed closely by Tonks and Ron. Katherine raised a finger to her lips and pointed behind her. They nodded and crept over to her. Katherine held out her hand and Ron handed her the Map.

Katherine watched Professor McGonagall's dot as the professor ran with Ginny and Neville at her heels. Then she started to look at the dots of the Death Eaters, but then the voices grew louder.

"Mischief managed." Katherine muttered under her breath. The parchment was swiped clean and Katherine handed it back to Ron. Bellatrix cackled and Tonks shifted her position, but something crunched under her foot. Everyone froze and the Death Eaters stopped talking.

Katherine didn't even wait for a moment; she jumped up and fired nonverbal Stunning Spells at the Death Eaters. Katherine produced a Shield Charm as the rest of the defenders jumped out to fight.

The Order and the students put pressure on the Death Eaters, forcing them up the stairs to the Tower. Suddenly, Greyback tackled Bill. They fell to the ground and Greyback attacked Bill's face. Remus blasted the werewolf off of Bill, but the eldest Weasley didn't move. Greyback rolled and joined his fellow Death Eaters.

Out of the corner of her eye, Katherine saw someone jump over Bill and run up the stairs. She couldn't make out who it was because Bellatrix started to throw curses at her and it took all her concentration to deflect them.

One Death Eater was being trigger happy with _Avada Kedavra._ The idiot hit one of his own as the other was coming back down the stairs. Katherine turned her head slightly to see Professor McGonagall arrive with Ginny and Neville.

Neville saw Bellatrix and immediately joined Katherine as she dueled Bellatrix.

"Now!" A Death Eater yelled.

The other Death Eaters charged up the stairs, but fired a curse at the entrance to the stairs. Neville ran forward and was thrown back. One Death Eater remained and was dueling Remus.

Snape joined them and went through the barrier like it was nothing. The Potions professor disappeared up the stairs.

Tonks joined Remus and helped him duel the lone Death Eater. Katherine ran over to Bill. He was bleeding and the flesh on half of his face was barely hanging on. Katherine shook him and he groaned, which meant he was awake, at least.

There was an explosion because the Death Eater caused half of the ceiling to collapse. When the dust settled, Snape was leading Draco and the Order let them through. Katherine got up and raced after the two running figures.

"Draco! Draco!" Katherine yelled.

Draco turned around and was shaking.

"Katherine, listen to me, I'm sorry." Draco said in a shaky voice.

"Draco, we need to go." Snape said with impatience. Draco nodded through his shaking.

"What are you sorry for?" Katherine asked, furrowing her brow and reaching for him.

Suddenly, something slammed into her and threw her on the ground. Katherine rolled and it fell on top of her again. Katherine looked to see Greyback's snarling face. She squirmed and tried to buck him off, but it was to no avail.

Then, Greyback was thrown off her, but his nails, sharpened to claws, tore into her left shoulder.

"No, I said not to touch her!" Katherine heard Draco yell. Katherine rolled over to see Draco throwing Greyback into the wall and pointing his wand into the werewolf's throat. "Do you understand me?"

"Draco!" Snape snapped.

Draco removed his hold on Greyback and followed Snape away. Greyback ran after them. Katherine ducked her head as the rest of the Death Eaters jumped over her. Katherine clutched her shoulder and felt a wet and sticky substance on her hand.

Suddenly, Harry jumped over her. Katherine jumped to her feet and ran after him. He was wildly firing spells at the Death Eaters. Katherine followed Harry through the castle and through the grounds.

Then Katherine dropped as a jet of light came at her. Katherine looked up to see Bellatrix illuminated by Hagrid's house, which the demented witch had just set on fire. Katherine got up and jumped behind a tree.

"Are we playing hide-and-seek, little Gryffindor?" Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine jumped out, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, and thought, _Levicorpus!_

Bellatrix deflect the spell and fired one of her own.

"_Protego!_" Katherine yelled. The spell hit the Shield and flew into a tree. A little ways away, Katherine saw Harry dueling Snape. Or more like Snape was deflecting all the spells Harry kept trying to use.

Since Katherine was momentarily distracted, Bellatrix made a slashing movement. The curse cut across Katherine's stomach. Katherine fell to her knees and held her stomach as blood pored over her arm.

Bellatrix laughed at Katherine's shocked form with blood seeping into the ground around her. Bellatrix closed the gap between them and grabbed Katherine's hair, forcing her to look up.

"Scream." Bellatrix commanded. "Scream for me."

Bellatrix kicked Katherine's stomach and Katherine quickly curled into a ball, ripping out some of her hair. Bellatrix cackled above her.

Anger filled her. She was not going to die like this. She was not going to die lying on the ground while giving her aunt the best show Bellatrix had seen in a long time. Katherine slowly raised her blood covered wand.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!_" Katherine yelled.

Bellatrix flew backwards and tumbled on the ground. Katherine shakily got to her feet, her left hand holding her abdomen together. She remembered reading once that the worst way to die was having your abdomen cut so that your intestines fall out. Katherine looked down and saw no intestines. She sighed in relief.

Bellatrix was up and firing spells again. Katherine could only deflect because moving to dodge hurt. Katherine fired many Stunners, but none of them hit the witch.

"Bellatrix, we have to go!" Snape yelled.

Bellatrix and Katherine stared at each other, wands raised. Katherine then bowed, but kept her eyes on Bellatrix.

"We'll call it a tie." Katherine said.

Bellatrix's mouth curled in a sneer. "Over my-"

"Bellatrix!" Snape yelled.

Bellatrix growled, but ran out the gate with Snape right behind her. Then they were all gone, even Draco.

Harry saw Katherine as she collapsed to the ground. Harry kneeled down by Katherine as Hagrid joined them.

"Take care of Hagrid's house, Harry." Katherine instructed. Harry nodded. He and Hagrid put out the fire. Then Harry came back to Katherine.

"Katherine," Harry seemed reluctant to touch her.

"Harry, will you kindly Summon my broom for me?" Katherine said, attempting to smile as the world started to swim.

"_Accio Nimbus Two Thousand and One!_" Harry said. The broom came quickly and Harry helped Katherine onto it. Katherine flew towards and through the castle. She flew inside the Hospital Wing and saw everyone except Ginny and Professor McGonagall in there. Katherine's broom hovered over a bed and she unceremoniously threw herself onto the bed. She landed on her stomach.

"Tell Madam Pomfrey that I have arrived." Katherine pronounced.


	37. Chapter 37

***fanfare* Presenting the last chapter for the sixth year! Yay!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 37<em>

Madam Pomfrey rolled the semi-conscious Katherine onto her stomach. Katherine had a goofy smile on her face and was muttering idiotic things.

"What's wrong with her?" Katherine heard Hermione's concerned voice.

"She's losing a ton of blood." Madam Pomfrey responded. "Miss Peters, open your mouth."

"If I open my mouth, flies will get in." Katherine giggled, but opened her mouth anyways. Madam Pomfrey poured a Blood Replenishing Potion down Katherine's throat.

Madam Pomfrey began to seal Katherine's abdomen. Katherine stopped giggling as she started to regain full consciousness.

"How did you hurt your shoulder, Miss Peters?" The nurse asked.

"Greyback's nails clawed at me." Katherine answered.

"Will she be turned?" Madam Pomfrey asked Remus.

"No, and she won't have any wolfish characteristics like Bill." Remus said. "But I would clean that wound very well; Fenrir Greyback isn't known for having the cleanest nails."

Madam Pomfrey cleaned Katherine's wound, and then bandaged her shoulder and abdomen. The door opened and Harry walked in with his hand in Ginny's.

"Professor Lupin, can't Dumbledore fix Bill's wounds?" Ron asked with desperation in his voice.

"Ron, Dumbledore's dead." Ginny said in a lifeless voice.

Katherine jerked herself up and groaned as her wounds opened slightly. Madam Pomfrey was too shocked by Ginny's news to scold Katherine.

"It's not April Fool's Day, Ginny." Katherine said, wishing it was a cruel joke.

"It's true." Harry said in the same lifeless voice Ginny used.

Remus fell into a chair and covered his face with his hands. Hermione was crying silently. It took Katherine a couple of tries to get her voice to work.

"How?" Katherine whispered.

"Snape killed him." Harry said, looking down.

There was a cry from the doorway and Katherine looked to see Professor McGonagall holding her heart. Katherine could tell that Professor McGonagall already knew this, but it still hurt her.

"Minerva, what is it?" Katherine recognized Mrs. Weasley's voice from behind Professor McGonagall.

Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, and Fleur walked around Professor McGonagall and into the Hospital Wing. Fleur and Mrs. Weasley flew to Bill's bed. Mr. Weasley put his hand on McGonagall's shoulder.

"Dumbledore's dead." Professor McGonagall said. "Hagrid has him now."

"What about Bill?" Mrs. Weasley asked, stroking her eldest's long red hair and dabbing a foul smelling ointment on his face.

"He won't become a werewolf, but the wounds won't go away." Remus said, looking older than he really was.

"Poor Bill." Mrs. Weasley wailed. "He was such a handsome boy and he was going to get married."

"What do you mean, 'e was _going_ to get married?" Fleur said loudly.

Mrs. Weasley looked at Fleur through tear-filled eyes. "Well- I-"

"You theenk that Bill will not love me because of these bites?" Fleur demanded. Katherine scooted back as she saw Fleur's inner Veela starting to come out.

"Well, no," Mrs. Weasley said. "I thought - given how- how he-"

"You thought I would not weesh to marry him?" Fleur said, her nostrils flaring. "Why should I care how he looks? These scars show that my husband is brave! And I will take care of him!"

Fleur snatched the ointment from Mrs. Weasley and began to put it on Bill's face. Mrs. Weasley fell back against Mr. Weasley. No one moved. They were all waiting for the explosion.

"My Great-Auntie Muriel," Mrs. Weasley said quietly. "Has a goblin-made tiara, which I want you to wear at the wedding."

"Thank you," Fleur said coolly. "I am sure it will be lovely."

And then, Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were crying and hugging each other. Ron and Harry looked shocked and bewildered. Ginny, Hermione, and Katherine exchanged startled looks.

"You see!" A strained voice said. Katherine turned to see Tonks glaring at Remus. "She still wants to marry him, even though he's been bitten!"

"It's different." Remus said, tense. "He won't be a full werewolf. The cases are-"

"But I don't care! I don't care!" Tonks said as she grabbed Remus's robes and shook them.

"I have told you," Remus said, staring at the floor. "I am too old, too poor, too dangerous."

"Remus, you're being ridiculous." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I am not," Remus said. "Tonks deserves someone young and healthy."

"But she wants you." Mr. Weasley said with a small smile.

"Oh, just date her already!" Katherine exclaimed.

"See!" Tonks said, pointing at Katherine.

"She doesn't count; she's delirious." Remus said.

"I am not delirious!" Katherine protested.

"How much blood have you lost?" Remus asked.

"I'm not delirious." Katherine muttered as she looked down at her used-to-be-white shirt.

"This isn't the time to discuss this." Lupin said, looking around distractedly. "Dumbledore is dead . . ."

"Dumbledore would have been happy to know that there was a little more love in the world." Professor McGonagall said.

Everyone grew quiet. Katherine, however, saw Remus step closer to Tonks and gently grabbed her hand. Tonks looked down at their hands, and then smiled a true smile. Remus grinned back at her, but softly.

Harry and Ginny stepped over to Katherine. Madam Pomfrey fixed Katherine's bandages and gave her another dose of a Blood Replenishing Potion.

"I want to join the Order." Katherine announced.

"We've talked about this, Katherine, you are too young." Remus said, sighing in annoyance.

"Listen to me. I am going to fight Voldemort, no matter what. But I'd rather fight him with an army at my back." Katherine said. "I have survived three encounters with Bellatrix Lestrange. I am not too young!"

"You are not of age." Remus said, firmly.

"I will be." Katherine said. "I will be soon."

"We'll discuss it then." Remus said with a tone of finality.

Katherine growled quietly, but held her tongue. Then her face changed to being sad and apologetic. She looked up at Harry.

"Harry, I owe you an apology. You were right about Dra-" Katherine stopped and swallowed. "Malfoy being a Death Eater. He let the Death Eaters in. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"It's alright." Harry said. Katherine noticed he was clutching something in his other hand.

"Oh, did you . . .?" Katherine trailed off.

Harry shook his head. "It's a fake."

* * *

><p>They were on the Hogwarts Express, on their way home after Dumbledore's funeral. Harry had broken up with Ginny in order to protect her. The red head girl understood, much to Katherine's bewilderment.<p>

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Katherine were sitting in a compartment. The boys were sitting on one side and the girls were across from them. Katherine was sitting parallel to the seat. She was leaning against the wall and her legs were on Hermione's lap.

"I'm not coming back next year. I need to find all the Horcruxes before I take on Voldemort." Harry said.

"We're coming with you." Hermione said.

"It's-"

"Too dangerous." Katherine finished for Harry with a roll of her eyes. "Harry, when has danger ever stopped us? Also, you'll need us."

Harry looked like he was about to protest, but he realized that it wasn't worth it. "Fine."

The door to the compartment slid open and Ginny stood awkwardly in the doorway. She and Harry were staring at each other.

"Go ahead, you two." Katherine said. "Pretend that the outside world doesn't exist for a couple of hours."

Harry smiled and opened his arms. Ginny smiled and pounced onto his lap. Katherine closed the compartment door and pulled down the blinds. Harry and Ginny sat, happily wrapped up in each others' arms.

"Ron, is everyone staying at your house for the wedding?" Katherine asked.

"I guess," Ron shrugged. "Why?"

"I'm just trying to figure out where I'm going to stay before we leave." Katherine said. "I'm not going back to the Manor."

"You can stay with me." Hermione said.

"Are you sure? Your parents won't mind?" Katherine asked.

"They'll be fine. They actually like you." Hermione said.

"Imagine that." Katherine smiled.

* * *

><p>"I don't believe it." Katherine said with her mouth agape as they got off the Hogwarts Express.<p>

"What?" Hermione asked from behind her.

"Nar- Mrs. Malfoy is here." Katherine said. "Excuse me."

Katherine left her things with Hermione. Katherine walked towards the blond-haired witch. Narcissa watched Katherine, her eyes smiling because she could not do so in public.

"Where are your things?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm not coming back." Katherine said.

"That's nice, dear; now go get your stuff." Narcissa said, waving Katherine's statement away.

"I mean it." Katherine said. "I'm not coming back."

Narcissa raised her eyebrow in question.

"I comforted a," Katherine bit down on her lip to keep herself from cussing. "_Death Eater._ I allowed myself to get worried about a boy that was going to kill Dumbledore. I was worried about Draco because he wasn't doing his homework, he wasn't playing Quidditch, and he was looking ill. That night he woke up screaming, I was scared to death. And I comforted him! I comforted a Death Eater!"

"Things are changing." Narcissa whispered.

"Obviously." Katherine nearly snarled. "But I am not coming with you. I am sick of all of you! I am done with this family!"

Katherine turned on her heel and walked away rather quickly. She joined the Grangers and composed her face into a smile.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I hope I'm not imposing upon your hospitality." Katherine said.

"Not at all, Katherine." Mrs. Granger smiled. "D'you know how long you'll be staying?"

"Until Hermione and I have decided to leave for the wedding." Katherine said with a charming smile. Mrs. Granger nodded.

Harry and Ron came over and the four hugged good-bye. Katherine grabbed Harry's arm and leaned in close.

"Don't you dare leave without us, Potter." Katherine said, threateningly. "Because you won't make it very far."

"She's right." Ron said, smiling.

"I always am." Katherine said, smiling arrogantly.


	38. Chapter 38

**Year seven!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 38<em>

It was two weeks after Albus Dumbledore's funeral and Hermione Granger and Katherine Peters were quietly packing. Each had a backpack that was filled with clothes and essentials. They were currently trying to figure out what to put in Hermione's Bottomless Bag, as Katherine called it.

"Are you sure the Undetectable Extension Charm will work?" Katherine asked.

Hermione looked up from her packing and shot Katherine a piercing, annoyed look. Katherine smiled in amusement and held up her hands in surrender.

Hermione was having the hardest time choosing which books to bring. Katherine wasn't. Katherine tossed a book over to Hermione, who raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"A Muggle first aid book?" Hermione asked.

"It's good to know how to heal in every way." Katherine replied. Hermione nodded her agreement and put it in the small beaded bag with the Extension Charm.

Katherine was reaching down into her trunk when her fingers touched something cold. She pulled it out and examined the small pocketknife. Then she recognized Sirius's gift from Christmas in her fourth year.

"I had forgotten all about this." Katherine said with a chuckle.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, peering over Katherine's shoulder.

"A knife that changes to whatever blade and size I want it to be. Watch." Katherine said as the pocket knife turned into a beautiful gold handle rapier, and then back into the pocket knife. Katherine slid it into her front jeans pocket, knowing that it could come in handy.

About half an hour later, they were finished. Katherine looked at Hermione with pity in her green eyes. Hermione drew in a shaky breath and Katherine was hugging her immediately.

"You don't have to do it." Katherine whispered. "You go and wait outside and I'll take care of it."

Hermione shook her head. "No, it has to be me."

Katherine released Hermione and nodded her understanding. Katherine picked up both backpacks, slung them over her shoulders, and picked up the beaded bag, frowning at it.

"I don't think the bag works with my outfit." She said teasingly. Hermione smiled and rolled her eyes.

But the smile was gone. Katherine smiled reassuringly at her.

"I'll be outside." Katherine said. Hermione nodded and Katherine went out of her room. Katherine tiptoed down the stairs, past the living room where the Grangers were watching television, and went outside.

Katherine stood, impatiently tapping her foot, and scanning for any Death Eaters. Ever since Dumbledore's death, Voldemort and his supporters were getting bolder and attacking Muggles all over Britain.

The door opened and Hermione walked out with a mournful look on her face. Katherine was at her side immediately and put her arm around Hermione's shoulders. Hermione sighed and ran a hand over her face.

"They're safe now, Hermione." Katherine said.

"What if something happens to me," Hermione whispered distressed. "They'll never know they had a daughter."

"Nothing will happen to you, Hermione." Katherine said. "And we'll both go get them when it's all over."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Katherine grabbed Hermione's arm and Apparated them to the Burrow. Together they walked up the long dirt path to the house. Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them at the door. She hugged the two girls before letting them inside.

"I'm afraid the house is a little crowded with wedding guests, so . . ." Mrs. Weasley started to say before embarrassment stopped her.

"I'll sleep on the couch." Katherine volunteered.

"Are you sure, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I've slept in worse places before. A tree for instance." Katherine said. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione looked at her in confusion.

"Why were you sleeping in a tree?" Hermione asked.

"I stole Dra- Malfoy's signed Snitch and he chased me all around the Manor for it." Katherine smirked at the memory. "Then I scampered up a tree and he couldn't climb up it, so he decided that he would wait until I came down. But I wasn't about to give in, so he slept under the tree and I slept in it."

"Why did you take his Snitch?" Hermione asked.

"Because I wanted it." Katherine said, trying to fight a smile.

Hermione rolled her eyes as Katherine left the room. Katherine bounded up the stairs and put hers and Hermione's things in Ginny's room. She was walking out of Ginny's room, when someone screeched her name. Katherine turned to see blond hair before someone hugged her.

"Fleur, can't . . . breathe . . ." Katherine panted. Fleur released Katherine, who gulped down air.

"Hello, Katherine." Bill said from behind his fiancée.

"Hey, Bill. You're looking a lot like Mad-Eye." Katherine smiled teasingly. Bill smiled amused.

"Come, you must zee moi dress." Fleur said, grabbing Katherine's hand, and pulled her down the hallway. Bill chuckling as he followed them. Fleur pulled Katherine into her room, and then stopped in the doorway.

"You can't zee the dress, Bill." Fleur said, blocking the door.

"Yeah, go away, Bill." Katherine smiled as she waved him away. Bill smiled and kissed Fleur before leaving.

Fleur closed the door and went to the closet. She pulled out a white dress with black swans fanning out at the bottom of the dress. Katherine's mouth fell open in awe.

"_Trés beau._" Katherine complimented. Fleur beamed and put the dress gently back in the closet.

"What you wearing?" Fleur asked.

Katherine smacked her own forehead. "I knew I forgot something."

"You forgot your dress for my wedding?" Fleur nearly screeched.

Katherine smirked and started laughing at Fleur's expression. "No, I didn't; I just wanted to see your reaction."

"You are _trés_ awful." Fleur said, pretending to scold her. Katherine smiled.

"LUNCH TIME!" Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed throughout the house.

Katherine and Fleur walked down to the kitchen where the rest of the Weasleys and Hermione were sitting. They ate lunch and, once it was over, Katherine made her way to the door.

"Where are you going, Katherine?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Katherine flashed her the most disarming smile in Katherine's arsenal.

"I just need to take care of some things, Mrs. Weasley. I'll be back in a couple of hours." Katherine said, slowly backing up to the door.

"I don't like the idea of you going alone." Mrs. Weasley said. Katherine opened the door and smiled again.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Katherine darted through the door before anyone could protest. She reached the Apparation point, turned, and landed in front of her childhood home.

Katherine instinctively -not because she wanted to- looked to the right of the house. She could barely see the gates to Malfoy Manor. The rest of the property and the magnificent house itself was shielded from view. Katherine looked around to see that the Peters' house was the last of three still standing. Lucius Malfoy liked to buy his neighboring Muggles' houses so that he could expand the Manor.

It hurt. Katherine missed the Malfoys very much, but she wouldn't go back as long as they were in league with Voldemort.

Katherine tore her focus away from the gates and walked up to the Peters' front door. Katherine knocked and, a few moments later, Mrs. Peters opened the door.

"Katherine!" Mrs. Peters exclaimed happily. "Come on in."

Katherine smiled as she walked inside. Mrs. Peters closed the door behind her. They walked into the kitchen, where Mr. Peters was cooking tofu. He looked up, put down his cooking utensils, and shook Katherine's hand.

"What brings you here?" Mr. Peters asked. The smile fell from Katherine's face.

"You should sit down." Katherine said. The Peters exchanged worried looks, but sat down, nonetheless.

"What's wrong?" Mr. Peters asked.

"Voldemort's back." Katherine announced. The Peters sucked in all their breath. "He's going after Harry and anyone who's connected to Harry."

Mrs. Peters let out a strangled cry as she looked at Katherine. Mr. Peters's eyes widened as he realized what Katherine meant.

"You need to go into hiding." Mr. Peters said. Katherine looked at him in shock.

"No, I'm not." Katherine said.

"Yes, you are!" Mr. Peters snapped. "We made a promise to your parents to keep you safe! When we let you live with the Malfoys, we did it because they could keep you safer than we could! I'm not going to let You-Know-Who get you! You are going into hiding!"

"You don't understand." Katherine said quietly, her hands clenched in an attempt to control her anger. "Harry needs me. My friends need me and I'm not going to sit around while others fight."

"John, stop." Mrs. Peters said, when Mr. Peters opened his mouth to yell. "If you're not going into hiding, why are you here, Katherine?"

"Because I have managed to piss off Bellatrix Lestrange." Katherine said. "She is going to go after anyone who is connected to me. She wants to hurt me and she knows that the best way to do that is to hurt those I love."

Katherine looked up at the Peters and swallowed her fear.

"She's going to come after you."


	39. Chapter 39

**Time to meet the Peters. And Rani, they're Muggles, not half-bloods.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 39<em>

The Peters stared at her in horror. They had thought that she was the one in trouble, not them. Katherine waited patiently for the Peters to come out of their shock. They did, eventually.

"Why us?" Mr. Peters said hoarsely.

"Because I pissed her off." Katherine said. "And she's insane. . . . And she likes to pick on Muggles."

"We could fight her." Mr. Peters said fiercely.

"Shield Charms can stop bullets." Katherine said, looking down and frowning.

"We'll still fight." Mr. Peters said firmly.

Katherine's head snapped up. "So that I lose my foster parents, too?"

"I didn't mean-"

"You can't beat her!" Katherine interrupted. "Hell! I've only beaten her once and that was dumb luck! And I can't be here to help you! I have to help Harry and I would only put us all in danger if I kept checking in on you!"

"So, what are we going to do?" Mrs. Peters asked, interrupting her husband, who was about to start ranting about being able to protect his family.

"You'll need to leave. Go somewhere that's not in Europe and hide until I come get you." Katherine said.

"Where?" Mr. Peters asked angrily.

"What about India, honey?" Mrs. Peters asked, laying her hand on his arm. "We've always wanted to go there."

Mr. Peters considered it for a moment. "Katherine, will we be safe?"

"I don't think she'll look there." Katherine said, after thinking about it for a moment.

"Then we'll go." Mr. Peters said, smiling tightly. "I'll go pack and call a taxi to take us to the airport."

He left the two women alone. Mrs. Peters gripped Katherine's hand and stared at her friend's daughter's mournful expression.

"Your mother tried to protect us, too. During the First War." Mrs. Peters whispered. "She made us go to America and hide out there. Apparently, she pissed someone off, too."

Katherine's lips twitched.

"Like mother, like daughter." Katherine said, smiling softly.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Peters asked.

"I can't tell you. One, it would be dangerous, and, two, we don't even know yet." Katherine said smiling.

"So, you're not going back to school?" Mrs. Peters said with a disapproving look.

"No." Katherine said. "And don't look at me like that! I'll go back eventually."

"I know." Mrs. Peters said before changing the subject. "Tell me, do you call Narcissa Malfoy mother?"

"No."

"You never called me mother either." Mrs. Peters smiled fondly. "Even when you were younger, you wouldn't. Eventually, you figured out my name and just started to call me Aunt Marie."

"Forgive me, but I do not believe in calling someone my mother if they're not." Katherine said softly.

"Alright, Katherine, go pack up our things." Mr. Peters said as he came back into the kitchen.

"What?" Katherine exclaimed.

"Well, you're of age now, and we need to leave pretty soon, so go use your magic to help us." Mr. Peters smiled.

Katherine grudgingly got up and muttered something like, "Lazy Muggles."

"Marie, are you ready?" Mr. Peters asked, once Katherine came back from her forced labor, which just required a simple flick of her wand.

"Yes. When's the taxi getting here?" Mrs. Peters asked.

"Any minute now." Mr. Peters responded.

The Peters moved into the entrance hall where two suitcases and two carry-ons were waiting.

"I'll take care of the bills and stuff like that." Katherine said. "And once this is over, I will get you."

A car honked from out front.

"Alright, if you feel like you're being followed, leave and go somewhere else." Katherine said quickly. "Don't try to contact me if you have to leave, I will find you."

"Katherine," Mrs. Peters said, pulling her into a hug. "You're not frightened, are you?"

"Never." Katherine responded, hugging her foster mother back. They broke apart and Katherine hugged Mr. Peters.

"Be careful, little one," Mr. Peters teased. "We wouldn't want anything to happen to that pretty face of yours."

"I'm always careful." Katherine protested.

Mr. Peters snorted. "Tell that to that time I caught you trying to get the cookie jar down from the topmost shelf by climbing on a chair mountain you created."

"So I fell on my head, that doesn't mean I'm careless!" Katherine protested.

The car honked again and the Peters exchanged one last hug. Katherine helped them carry their things to the cab and smiled reassuringly at them.

"Everything will be fine." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Katherine got back in time for the start of an Order meeting. Mad-Eye, Tonks, Remus, and Kingsley were there, along with all the Weasleys, Fleur, and Hermione.<p>

"Katherine dear, there you are." Mrs. Weasley said.

"I hope I'm not late." Katherine said, sliding into the seat between Tonks and Hermione. Katherine noticed that Tonks and Remus were holding hands under the table.

"We're discussing how we are going to safely move Harry here." Remus explained.

Katherine nodded. "So, what's the plan?"

"We're thinking about having people take Polyjuice and become decoy Potters." Mad-Eye said.

"I'll be one." Katherine said immediately.

"No." Remus and Mrs. Weasley said. Katherine looked at them and smiled smugly.

"I'm of age." Katherine said.

"Anyone who is of age may be a decoy." Mad-Eye declared. He had become the unofficial leader of the Order since Dumbledore's death.

"I'll be one." Hermione's, Ron's, Fleur's, Fred's, and George's hands shot up in the air.

"No!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"Molly, they're of age and this is as much their fight as ours." Mad-Eye said.

"We'll discuss this at tomorrow's meeting." Kingsley said, standing up. "But we've spent too much time here and we need to go."

Kingsley and Mad-Eye went out together. Katherine walked with Remus and Tonks outside. Tonks and Remus were smiling like idiots at each other.

"I'm insulted." Katherine said, fighting a smile.

"Oh, why?" Tonks said distractedly.

"Because I wasn't invited to the wedding." Katherine said, still fighting the smile.

"Katherine, there was only one other person." Tonks said.

"I'm still insulted." Katherine said, grinning broadly because she couldn't fight it any longer.

"Oh well, there's always next time." Tonks said, smiling.

"Next time?" Remus repeated.

"You're not a keeper, Remus." Katherine said with a serious face, but then she broke out in a smile. Remus and Tonks laughed with her before the newlyweds left hand-in-hand.

* * *

><p>It was about two days before the day the Order was going to move Harry. Katherine was eating breakfast with Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. Bill, Fleur, and Mr. Weasley were at work.<p>

Katherine was enjoying a piece of toast with perfectly melted butter, when a majestic black owl swooped through the window and landed in front of her. It dropped a section of the newspaper in front of her and held out its leg for her to take a note.

It was from Kingsley and all it said was _I'm sorry._

Katherine felt her heart stop because nothing good comes from _I'm sorry._ She quickly opened the newspaper section and the headline gave her a heart attack.

**COUPLE FOUND DEAD ON VACATION**

Katherine forced herself to relax enough to read the article.

_John and Marie Peters were found dead on_

_the side of a dirt road miles outside of New_

_Delhi, India. The cause of death is unknown._

_The Peters leave behind a daughter, Katherine. . ._

Katherine could not read anymore. She burst from her chair, causing the people around her to cry out in alarm. Katherine ran up the stairs, went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and ran back downstairs.

When she got down there, everyone was looking at her with sorrowful expressions. Hermione stood up and hugged her friend.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said.

"I just can't believe I've lost them, too." Katherine murmured so only Hermione could hear.


	40. Chapter 40

**Here's another chapter for you. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 40<em>

Katherine Apparated into the alley behind the Peters' lawyer's office. She walked inside the building, took the elevator to his floor, and was surprised to find that he was waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, Katherine." He said sincerely as he held open the door to his private office. She stepped inside and sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He handed her a glass of water and took the seat on the other side of the desk.

Katherine took a deep breath as he pulled out the Peters' file.

"They left everything to you." The lawyer said. "Here is the amount of money you now own."

Katherine accepted the slip of paper the lawyer offered her. Her green eyes widened and she gasped in surprise.

"Holy crap!" Katherine exclaimed. She was rich!

"That was my reaction, too." The lawyer said, smiling slightly. "But it explains how they were able to travel so much."

Katherine remembered how, while being at Hogwarts, she would get postcards from the Peters from Moscow, Lima, Lisbon, Tokyo, Dublin, Sydney, or San Francisco.

"Now, about the house-" The lawyer began.

"Sell it." Katherine interrupted.

"Sell it?" The lawyer repeated dumbfounded.

"I have no need of it." Katherine said.

"But when you get out of school, you'll need a place to say." The lawyer said.

_If I survive._ Katherine thought, but she kept her face blank.

"I don't want it." Katherine amended.

"Do you realize what selling it entails?" He asked. "It will take a long time and you will have to be on hand at all times."

"Sell it to Lucius Malfoy!" Katherine nearly snapped. "He wants all the neighboring property; he'll buy it in no time!"

"You'll still need to be on hand." He said.

"Fine." Katherine said exasperatedly. She and the other three were planning on leaving after the wedding and time was something she didn't have, but the house should sell easily.

* * *

><p>Katherine got back to the Burrow and was walking around in a haze. Mrs. Weasley hugged her the minute she walked through the door, but she was lost in her own thoughts. She was blinking back stinging tears because she could not cry at the moment.<p>

They were eating lunch quietly. Katherine was poking her food around her plate. They all sat around silently and were watching Katherine out of the corner of their eyes.

"Where did you go today, Katherine?" Mrs. Weasley asked after awhile.

"To the Peters' lawyer." Katherine answered softly. "I had to go hear the will."

No one said anything for a couple of moments.

"I'm selling their house." Katherine said finally. "I'm going to go pack everything this afternoon, but-"

"You can leave their things here." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Thanks." Katherine said as she stood up.

She walked outside and Apparated to the Peters' house. Her eyes, much to her annoyance, darted to look at the Malfoys' gate by their own accord. It seemed that nothing had changed in a week and a half. The gates still stood as impressive as ever, alluding to the powerful family within. They were probably living better than ever as Voldemort's lackeys.

Katherine shook herself and walked into the house. In her mind's eye, she saw a toddler version of herself pulling Mrs. Peters all throughout the house. Then she saw Mr. Peters rolling his eyes when she started screaming when her Hogwarts letter came. Then she saw both of them hugging her good-bye when she left to go live with the Malfoys.

But now they were gone and the house was empty.

Katherine twisted Cedric's ring on her right ring finger and took a deep breath. She took out her Bristlecone Pine wand and conjured some cardboard boxes. She went into the kitchen and began to shrink everything in there, except the appliances. She waved her wand and put the tiny kitchen things into a cardboard box.

Katherine went through the bottom half of the house, doing the same thing that she had done in the kitchen. As she went up the stairs, she shrunk all the pictures on the wall.

Katherine walked into her room and saw that it was the same way it was when she left. She took another deep breath and walked inside the room. She decided to start with the dresser, but froze when she saw the pictures.

There was one of her when she was a year old and was sleeping in the crib. Mr. Peters had thought that it would have been funny to place Dostoyevsky's _Crime and Punishment_ on her sleeping chest to make it look like she had fallen asleep reading it.

There was another one where she was about four years old and running around the house with an upside down bucket on her head. She had been pretending that she was an explorer.

Another one was the time when she was seven and she was trying to dunk a basketball. Katherine remembered that she kept jumping and jumping and jumping, but she never came close. So, she levitated herself and dunked it. Mrs. Peters had screamed something about the neighbors seeing, but Mr. Peters just laughed and took a picture.

Katherine's heart panged at the memories. Those two were the ones who put up with her as a child and she was an adventurous, reckless child. They had put their plans to see every inch of the world on hold for her. So that they could raise her properly.

They did everything for her, yet she couldn't even protect them.

Katherine staggered backwards and collapsed into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. Her elbows rested on her knees and her head fell into her hands. And Katherine cried for the Peters, cried about losing her connection to her parents, and cried for failing.

There was a pop and Katherine heard someone calling her. She didn't have the strength to answer. The voice got closer, and then stopped in the doorway.

"Katherine." Hermione whispered. Katherine lifted her head and looked at her friend through tear-filled eyes.

"I failed, Hermione." Katherine said hoarsely. "I told them that they would be fine."

Hermione sat next to Katherine and threw her arm around the distraught girl's shoulders.

"Do you know how they died?" Hermione asked.

"I bet it was the Killing Curse." Katherine answered, straightening up and resting her hands on her knees.

"Do you know who?" Hermione asked.

"Bellatrix." Katherine said through gritted teeth, her hands clenched.

"Do you know for sure?" Hermione asked in an attempt to be the voice of reason.

"She's the only one who would go after them." Katherine's lips twisted in a snarl.

Hermione remained quiet and Katherine slowly relaxed. Katherine fell back against the bed and covered her eyes with her right hand.

"Katherine, I'll finish packing." Hermione said. "You need to sleep."

Katherine peeked out from under her hand and looked about ready to argue, but sighed instead.

"Thanks." Katherine said before letting her eyes fall shut.

* * *

><p>It was the day that the Order was going to go move Harry. They assembled in the kitchen of the Burrow. Kingsley and Bill had two Thestrals waiting outside for them. Hagrid was checking Sirius's bike in the yard, just making sure it was ready to go. Tonks, Remus, Mr. Weasley, and Mad-Eye were shouldering broomsticks. Mad-Eye had broken his broom an hour before arriving, so Katherine lent him hers.<p>

"Everyone got their wands?" Mad-Eye asked in his gruff voice.

Hermione, Ron, Fred, George, Fleur, and Katherine nodded.

"Alright, Granger, you're with Kingsley." Mad-Eye said. "Ron Weasley, you're with Nymphadora-"

"Tonks." She interjected in annoyance.

"-George, you're with Remus." Mad-Eye continued, ignoring Tonks. "Fred is with Arthur. Fleur is with Bill. And Peters, you're with me. Everyone understand?"

They all nodded.

"Get ready. We're leaving in three . . . two . . . one . . ." Mad-Eye said. He turned and Apparated with the rest following.

They landed in front of Privet Drive. Hermione ran up to the door first and knocked. When Harry swung open the door, Hermione hugged him. He staggered, but hugged her back. Mad-Eye pushed past them and ushered everyone else inside.

"What's everyone doing here?" Harry asked.

"We're your guard, Potter." Mad-Eye said. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione ran forward and pulled out one of Harry's hairs. He yelped as she handed it to Mad-Eye.

"What's going on?" Harry asked almost frantically.

"We're going to have six Potters to be decoys in case Death Eaters are watching for us." Mad-Eye said. "Potter, you'll be with Hagrid."

Mad-Eye put Harry's hair in a canteen that was filled with Polyjuice Potion. It bubbled and he handed it to Fred. It was passed around to all of the decoy volunteers.

After Katherine took a sip, she looked down to see that the world was really blurry. She reached up and felt messy hair that she was itching to comb. Someone, she couldn't see who because the world was blurry, handed her a pair of glasses. She sighed in relief as the world came into focus, but then clothes hit her in her face.

She pulled on Harry's Adventure Outfit, as she liked to call it, and leaned back against the wall, waiting for everyone else.

"Alright," Mad-Eye said, addressing the seven Potters. "Get with your partners and get ready to move. Everyone know their safe houses? Good. Go there, heal yourselves, and then go to headquarters. Got it? Good. Now, go."

Katherine walked over to Mad-Eye and grinned arrogantly at him.

"Good thing you chose me; I'm a pretty good fighter." She said. Mad-Eye looked at her with both eyes, which was disconcerting.

"I chose you so that I could keep an eye on you. You're reckless and a danger to all around you. You're only a good fighter when you're by yourself." Mad-Eye said. "Now, you're going to let me fight, alone. Understand?"

"Yes." Katherine grumbled.

Everyone headed outside, mounted their transportation, and took off. Katherine's left hand was holding on to her broom handle in a spot behind Mad-Eye, while her right hand was inside her coat and griping her wand.

They had barely flown for two minutes before they were attacked by hooded figures on brooms from all sides. Mad-Eye's wand was working furiously, protecting both of them. Katherine looked and saw the rest of the Order fighting hard.

"Harry's behind us!" She shouted into Mad-Eye's ear. He nodded and moved so that the Death Eaters would follow them. Katherine flipped herself around so that their backs were touching. She fired spells after spells, and protected their flank.

Then she saw something that made her heart beat fiercely. Voldemort was flying, without a broom or anything, and flying towards them.

"Mad-Eye!" Katherine shouted.

He looked over shoulder and swore. He urged the broom to go faster.

Katherine readied her wand and tried to get a good shot at Voldemort. Her heart was pounding at the idea of dueling Voldemort by herself. She didn't know how Harry could do it.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Voldemort shouted.

The green jet of light raced towards her. It was in that moment that she knew she was going to die. She was going to be killed by the same man who killed Cedric. This was it. This was the end. This was the end of her adventures.

_Goodbye._ Katherine thought, closing her eyes, and thinking of nothing, but Cedric.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry, but this is the end of the story. Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you!<strong>


	41. Chapter 41

**Like I would really end the story there. I've got too many scenes to write before the end. I'm just bored and wanted to see Rani's expression. Thanks for not disappointing.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 41<em>

Mad-Eye swung the broom around and took the full brunt of the Killing Curse. His body became rigid and he fell off the broom. Katherine reached for him, but her fingertips just brushed the hem of his cloak.

"Mad-Eye!" She yelled as his body fell down, down and disappeared.

The high cold laugh made Katherine raise her head. Voldemort flew over to her. She stood up on her broom and braced herself. She fired a couple of Stunners, but he effortlessly dodged them.

He came closer and Katherine took a breath to steady herself. He was almost upon her and, from the look on his face, he thought he was about to kill the Boy Who Lived, his archenemy, the one destined to destroy him.

But it was just Katherine.

Voldemort turned when he heard the roar of a motor. Katherine saw his scarlet eyes light up once he realized that the real Harry would be with Hagrid. He chased after the two.

Katherine sat back down on her broom and chased after them. She saw a Death Eater aim and fire a Killing Curse at Harry. Suddenly, Hedwig swooped down and took the curse for Harry. Katherine heard Harry yell as his beloved owl fell down.

Without a second's hesitation, Katherine dove after Hedwig. She flew out of the battle and caught the dead owl about ten feet above the ground. She stuffed the owl into her jacket and performed a temporary Sticking Charm to make sure Hedwig stayed there.

Katherine shot back up into the battle. There were so many Death Eaters. Katherine saw Voldemort chasing after Hermione and Kingsley until he saw the motorcycle again.

_Doubting yourself, Voldy?_ Katherine smirked.

Katherine heard a familiar cackle and her blood boiled. She whipped her broom around to see Bellatrix going after Tonks and Ron. Katherine knew that Bellatrix was trying her damndest to kill Tonks.

She forced her broom to fly faster and higher. She charged towards Bellatrix, who didn't notice her. Katherine was within arm's reach of her demented aunt. Katherine jumped off her broom and slammed into Bellatrix.

Bellatrix started to fall, while Katherine fell back on her Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Katherine turned her broom around in the hope that Bellatrix had fallen off, but the force of Katherine's hit caused Bellatrix's broom to do a three sixty.

"YOU MADE ME LOSE MY PREY!" Bellatrix yelled in pure fury. Katherine smirked when she saw Tonks and Ron getting away.

"Not apologizing for that." Katherine continued smirking.

Then Katherine started shaking and jerking weirdly. As quickly as it started, it was over. Katherine felt hair tickling her neck, she looked down to see her brown hair. The glasses were feeling unnecessary, so she took them off.

The Polyjuice Potion had worn off.

"Hello, Katie." Bellatrix said with a predatory smile.

"Auntie." Katherine greeted with a big smile.

She looked around and saw that she was one of the last Order members left fighting. Mad-Eye was right, she's a brilliant fighter when she's by herself.

Bellatrix fired a spell at her. Katherine pulled up quickly, but it slammed into her right ankle. Katherine gasped as she recognized it from last summer.

"Don't you know it's bad to repeat, Auntie Bella?" Katherine mocked.

Bellatrix roared and fired a barge of spells at Katherine. Katherine wiggled her way through the maze of spells. But she managed to get hit and she felt her a rib or two break, cuts sting her face, and blood start to stream down her face.

Katherine fired spells at Bellatrix and smiled when they hit their mark. Bellatrix snarled and her head fell down enough so that her black eyes seemed demonic and her wild black hair snaked around her face.

"You're dead!" Bellatrix growled.

"Really?" Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Holy crap! I'm a ghost!"

Bellatrix opened her mouth to say something, but then doubled over, holding her left arm. She looked up and snarled at Katherine.

"This isn't over!" She promised before she and the rest of the Death Eaters Apparated away. Katherine decided that she was going to go look for Mad-Eye's body. She flew down lower and scanned the ground, but it was nearly impossible to see in the dusk light.

Then she saw a familiar object on the ground. She dove and picked up Harry's Firebolt without touching the ground. She started flying towards the Burrow because she knew that the Death Eaters were gone, so it was safe. She flew with an annoying pain in her foot, carrying Hedwig, and carrying Harry's Firebolt.

* * *

><p>Harry and Hagrid had just arrived at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny ran out to meet them. Ginny hugged Harry tightly and he did the same to her.<p>

"Where's everyone else?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

There was a pop and Remus arrived yelling for help. He had George's arm draped around his shoulder and he was walking quickly. Blood was pouring from the side of George's head.

Remus and Mrs. Weasley quickly put George inside. Hermione and Kingsley arrived shortly after. Hermione hugged Harry in relief that he was alright.

Remus came back outside at the same time Mr. Weasley and Fred arrived. Mr. Weasley heard his wife's stricken cry and raced inside. Fred stayed outside with his sister, who was holding Harry's hand in worry.

Ron and Tonks arrived a moment later. Hermione raced to Ron and hugged him. Tonks and Remus hugged and kissed and held each other close. Bill and Fleur appeared, holding hands, a couple of minutes later.

"Mad-Eye's dead." Bill announced with a hoarse voice.

Hermione gasped. "What about Katherine?"

"Last time we saw her, she was tackling Bellatrix Lestrange, who was trying to kill me." Tonks said. Remus rubbed her back soothingly.

"Well, where is she?" Harry asked, looking around. "This is why I didn't want the Order to get me! I didn't want anyone to die for me! First Mad-Eye! Then Hedwig! And then Katherine!"

"Harry, you need to relax." Kingsley said in his calming voice. "Katherine has assured us that she can handle Bellatrix Lestrange, we must have faith in her."

"Or you could just praise her." A voice said from above them.

They looked up to see a beaming Katherine hovering above them. She pointed the nose of her broom down and hovered a foot from the ground. She then unceremoniously threw herself off the broom and landed on her back.

Kingsley and Remus were at her side immediately, looking down at her. She smiled up at them, and then the smile left her face.

"Harry! Where's Harry?" Katherine said, trying to look for him.

Harry went over to her and looked down at her.

"I'm here." Harry said.

Katherine handed Harry his Firebolt. Then her face became sorrowful. Slowly, she pulled something white out from under her coat.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Katherine said, lifting Hedwig's body up to him.

"Thanks for getting her." Harry whispered, taking Hedwig as he and the rest of the group went inside. Kingsley and Remus, however, stayed with Katherine.

"Can you walk?" Remus asked.

"Oh, yeah." Katherine said, pulling herself up and turning around to face the house. She put weight on her right foot and collapsed into the dirt.

"I mean no." She said into the dirt. Remus and Kingsley laughed as they helped her up.

They went into the house and put Katherine on the other couch. George was lying on one couch, where his mother was trying to clean his wound.

"What happened?" Katherine asked.

"Snape fired a spell that cut George's ear off." Remus said. "But what happened to you?"

Katherine waved her hand. "Oh, nothing."

"Oh, really?" Remus said skeptically. "Walk then."

Katherine flinched. "Fine. Bellatrix hit me with that spell that splinters your bone."

Everyone sucked in their breath.

"Last time, Poppy had to fix it." Mrs. Weasley said worriedly.

"We can't bring her here; it would require too many changes to the wards and the other protections." Remus said, running a hand down his face.

"Wait, I've got an idea!" Katherine exclaimed. "Mrs. Weasley, do you have any Skele-Gro?"

"I do!" Hermione said before she ran upstairs, and then returned with the potion.

"Good, now, Hermione, do you remember that spell Lockhart used to _fix_ Harry's arm?" Katherine asked. Hermione shook her head.

"_Brackium Emendo_." Ron said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. "What? I remembered it, didn't I?"

"Good job, Ron." Katherine said. "Hermione, use the spell so that all the splinters leave my leg, and then I'll take some of the potion."

"That might work." Hermione said as she drew her wand. "_Brackium Emendo!_"

Katherine bit down on her lip to stop herself from groaning. Then the pain was gone. Mrs. Weasley handed her a portion of the potion. Katherine raised it in a toast before swallowing it as quickly as possible.

"That tastes as awful as buttered popcorn jelly beans." Katherine said, gagging.

* * *

><p>Katherine didn't really get any sleep thanks to the damn potion. Regrowing bones was something she never wanted to experience again. She went downstairs with the intention of getting something to drink.<p>

She stopped in the doorway to see Tonks, though happier-looking than last year, had still kept her mousy brown hair. Tonks was sitting with a Firewhiskey in front of her and was looking down at the table with a glum expression.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked. Tonks jumped and knocked over her glass.

"What are you doing up, little one?" Tonks asked, smiling.

Katherine pointed at her foot. "I don't recommend this."

"I don't think anyone would." Tonks laughed. Katherine sat down in the chair next to her.

"So, what's wrong?" Katherine asked.

"I just realized how insane Bellatrix is." Tonks said.

"This is not the first time she went after you." Katherine pointed out. "The Battle at the Department of Mysteries, for example."

"And both times, you saved me." Tonks said, looking up at Katherine in amazement.

"I have a horrible hero complex." Katherine said, her lips twitching.

"What happens if she gets me alone? Can I take her?" Tonks asked, her hand shaking a little.

"You will." Katherine said sincerely.

"Thanks for . . . for everything." Tonks said.

"You're welcome." Katherine said as she stood up. "Now, I'm going to attempt to get some sleep."

Katherine walked out from the kitchen, while Tonks cleaned up the spilt Firewhiskey. Then Katherine stuck her head in the doorway.

"Oh, and, Tonks?" Katherine said.

"Yeah?" Tonks asked.

"No more alcohol."


	42. Chapter 42

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 42<em>

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Everyone, including the Order members, yelled as he blew out his candles.

"Feels good to be of age, doesn't it, mate?" Ron asked, clasping him on the back.

"Minister!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed in surprise. Everyone whipped their heads to see Rufus Scrimgeour standing at the head of the table. "What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Katherine Peters." Scrimgeour said.

"You can talk inside." Mrs. Weasley said as the four got up and led the Minister inside. Ron led the way to the living room. Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat on the couch, while Katherine stood behind them. The Minister chose the chair across from them.

"I'm here to deliver the last will and testament of Albus Dumbledore." The Minister said as he pulled out a sheet of paper. "'To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in the hope that he will remember me when he uses it.'"

Scrimgeour handed Ron what looked like a lighter. Ron grinned at it, and used it to turn out the lights.

"Wicked." He said as he turned the lights back on.

"'To Miss Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard_, in the hope that she will find it entertaining and instructive.'" The Minister continued before he handed Hermione a worn-looking book.

She smiled meekly and looked behind at Katherine, who shrugged.

"To Miss Katherine Janice Peters, I leave a set of scales that date back to the Roman Empire. I leave them to her in the hope that she can find balance." The Minister said as he handed her a gold set of scales that were broken. Instead of being balanced with nothing on them, one side was significantly higher than the other.

"This is so cool." Katherine said with barely concealed excitement. She was holding a piece of history in her hands.

"'To Harry James Potter, I leave the Snitch he caught in his first Quidditch match at Hogwarts, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill.'" The Minister said with some excitement in his voice.

Slowly, he held out the Snitch to Harry. Hermione and Katherine exchanged interested looks before looking back at Harry. Harry took the Snitch and nothing happened. Hermione and Katherine exchanged puzzled looks that time and the Minister deflated.

"Is there anything else?" Harry asked, oblivious to what had just not happened.

"Yes, Dumbledore left you the sword of Godric Gryffindor, but the Ministry has determined that the sword is property of Hogwarts School and will remain there." The Minister said with a tone of finality.

* * *

><p>The next day, Katherine was lounging on the couch, staring at her scales in confusion. She had spent the past hour attempting to fix the scales as carefully as possible. They stayed in the same position with the right scale being higher than the left one.<p>

"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Delacour." Katherine heard Mrs. Weasley's voice say. "Katherine, can you show them where Fleur is?"

"That way." Katherine answered distractedly, waving her hand to indicate upstairs, and still staring at the scales in bewilderment. She knew that there was a way to fix it because problems always have solutions.

"Go take them to her, Katherine." Mrs. Weasley ordered in a bittersweet voice. Katherine sighed and stood up with scales in hand.

"Follow me." Katherine said, smiling charmingly to Fleur's parents. Katherine led the way up the stairs and to Fleur's bedroom. Katherine knocked and Fleur opened it a crack.

"What?" Fleur snapped, looking harassed.

"Your parents are here." Katherine said.

"No! They can't zee me!" Fleur screeched as she slammed the door. "It must be a zurprize!"

Katherine smiled at the Delacours. "I suggest you wait outside."

"Fleur." Mrs. Delacour muttered while rolling her eyes. She and her husband went back downstairs. Katherine walked over to the open window and looked out. All of the Weasley boys were putting up a giant tent and placing tables all around. The girls were running back and forth, doing errands for Mrs. Weasley.

"Where's Katherine?" She heard Mrs. Weasley say. "Katherine! Katherine!"

Katherine knew that if she responded, she would be given a job to do. But she did not want to work. Katherine moved stealthily away from the window, ignoring Mrs. Weasley's yells, and went down the hallway. She threw open Fleur's door, went inside, and closed it behind her.

"I said it waz a zurprize!" Fleur shrieked.

"I've already seen your dress, remember?" Katherine said, walking over to the bed, and lying down on it. Fleur was sitting in front of her vanity table, doing her hair and make-up.

"So!" Fleur snapped.

Katherine lifted her head up to look at Fleur's reflection. "One, calm down. And two, I'm only here because no one will think to look for me in here."

"What are you hiding from?" Fleur asked, putting on lipstick.

"Mrs. Weasley and preparing for the wedding." Katherine answered, staring at her scales again.

"You can do my hair then." Fleur said. Katherine's lips twitched.

"You don't want me to do your hair." Katherine said.

"You're useless." Fleur said.

"Yep." Katherine said unfazed.

* * *

><p>Katherine was dancing with Harry at the reception after the wedding. She was wearing a purple knee-length dress with black heels, which she had kicked off and left at the table she had eaten at.<p>

"When was the last time you danced?" Harry asked.

Katherine shrugged.

"The Yule Ball?" Harry suggested. Katherine tensed.

For a second, she was back in the Great Hall. She felt the cold necklace heirloom Mrs. Malfoy had given her. Katherine felt a warm hand on her left hip and the hand's companion wrapped securely around her right hand. She looked up and saw a pair of smiling gray eyes.

Then it was gone and she was looking, at eye level, into green eyes.

Katherine stepped away from Harry, but smiled to let him know nothing was wrong. Then she walked quickly to the other end of the tent. She grabbed a glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. She started shaking, but she forced every thought of Cedric away.

_Later._ She promised herself. _I'll think about it later._

Suddenly, a white light streaked through the sky and landed in the middle of the tent. The music screeched to a halt and couples stopped dancing. The light turned into a white lynx.

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They're coming." Kingsley's voice boomed through the tent. The crowd froze as the lynx disappeared.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get out of here!" Mr. Weasley yelled.

Guests started Apparating, but it was too late. Figures cloaked in the dark surrounded the tent. Katherine pulled out her wand and spotted Hermione, Ron, and Harry on the other end of the tent. She locked eyes with Hermione and both girls knew that it was time to leave.

Katherine ran while dodging, jumping, and avoiding every spell, stray or not, coming her way. Her friends were waiting for her, but time was running out. Katherine stopped running.

"Go! Go!" She yelled to them. They refused to move. "I can't reach you in time! Go! I'll catch up! Just go!"

"Ginny!" Harry cried. Katherine turned to see Ginny fighting a Death Eater. Harry ran forward to help her, but Remus threw him back.

"Go, Harry!" Remus yelled.

"Harry, I'll help her!" Katherine yelled. "Go!"

Hermione grabbed the two boys' hands and Apparated away. Katherine felt a pang of loneliness, but ignored it. She ran and Stunned the Death Eater fighting Ginny. Another Death Eater aimed a hex at Ginny, but Katherine jumped in front of her and deflected it.

"I can handle myself, Katherine." Ginny snapped. Katherine smirked and her eyes glittered amused.

"I promised Harry I'd help you." Katherine said. "If his girlfriend-"

"Not his girlfriend." Ginny muttered, annoyed.  
>"-Got hurt." Katherine continued, smiling. "Harry would kill me."<p>

Ginny gave her a scathing look. "I can take care of myself."

Katherine didn't answer because she sent a Disarming Spell at another Death Eater. She and Ginny were back-to-back, but the Death Eaters were closing in. Katherine looked around and saw that this was not going to turn out well.

"LOWER YOUR WANDS!" Katherine commanded.

The last of the wedding guests looked at Katherine like she had lost her mind.

"JUST LOWER YOUR WANDS!" Katherine commanded again.

They continued looking at her the same way, until Remus realized that she was right and lowered his wand. The rest of the wedding guests followed suit. The Death Eaters stopped fighting, and then a cackle pierced the night.

Katherine moved quickly through the crowd and stopped next to Tonks.

"Change." Katherine whispered. Tonks shook her head. "Bellatrix is here and she will kill you. Change, now."

"Please, sweetheart." Remus said. Tonks looked at him before turning into an elderly lady.

Katherine continued walking until she was on the outside of the circle the Death Eaters had forced the wedding guests into. Bellatrix Lestrange stalked out of the dark, her eyes glinting at the sight of Katherine.

"Hello, Auntie Bella." Katherine struggled to keep the mockery out of her tone. She had to be nice to Bellatrix because all of the people behind her were in danger.

"Peters." Bellatrix growled. "What's going on here?"

"A wedding." Katherine answered, trying her hardest to be civil.

"Where's Potter?" Bellatrix snapped. Katherine blinked at the random question, but recovered her composure.

"Harry? Haven't seen him since the last day of school." Katherine lied easily.

"Are there any Mudbloods here?" Bellatrix asked, her black eyes lighting up as the idea of torturing Muggle-borns went through her mind.

"None." Katherine said. It was true; all the Muggle-borns had left when Kingsley's lynx told them what had happened.

"Come with me, Peters." Bellatrix commanded as she started to walk towards the house.

Katherine put her wand away and attempted to follow Bellatrix, but Remus grabbed her arm. He was looking at her like she was an idiot.

"I'll be fine, Remus." Katherine said. Remus seemed to trust her because he let go. Katherine walked towards the house, where Bellatrix was waiting in front of porch. The lights from the house illuminated her in an ironic angelic way.

Katherine stopped in front of her aunt. Bellatrix tapped her wand against her thigh and looked at Katherine like she was a piece of meat.

"You hurt Cissy." Bellatrix snarled as she brushed back her untamable black curls.

"I know." Katherine whispered.

"Do you know what happens to people who hurt my sister?" Bellatrix asked as she stepped closer. "They get beaten into pulps."

Katherine raised her chin and lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't believe me?" Bellatrix smiled predatorily. Suddenly, her hand flew out and closed around Katherine's throat. Katherine didn't move; she just waited patiently.

Bellatrix put her wand away, and then slammed her free fist into Katherine's abdomen. Katherine stumbled back once Bellatrix let go of her throat. The demented witch did not give her a chance to recover; Bellatrix's fists were flying at everywhere they could reach. Katherine kept stumbling back under the force.

Then, the seventeen year old tripped over a rock and landed on a jagged one that cut through the right side of her dress. Katherine pressed her hand against her ribs and came away with a hand covered in blood.

Katherine rolled over to get a boot in the face. Her head snapped backwards, and then came back down. Katherine saw Remus starting to move towards them.

"No! Stay back!" Katherine yelled at him.

Bellatrix grabbed Katherine and threw her a foot or so away. Katherine rolled on the hard dirt, getting scrapped the entire time. Bellatrix kicked Katherine hard in the ribs. Several of them broke as Katherine was forced to roll again. Bellatrix kept kicking Katherine, causing the girl to roll over several times.

By the end of it, Katherine was sure that a rib had punctured her lung. Bellatrix picked her up again and threw her. Katherine's right knee slammed into another rock and a pop sounded. Katherine sucked in her breath, causing her side to hurt even more.

Bellatrix towered over her. Katherine closed her eyes and waited for the rest of the beating.

"I hope you've learned your lesson, Peters." Bellatrix growled before kicking Katherine in the head. Katherine's ears were ringing and blood pounded like a bass drum at a rock concert.

"There are no Mudbloods here." A Death Eater said.

"Then it's time to go." Bellatrix said. Then she leaned down to where her face was inches from Katherine's. "Till next time, filth."

"Say hi to Voldemort for me." Katherine used the last of her strength to say that.

"I wouldn't say the name if I were you." Bellatrix said cryptically. "It might be _taboo_."

The yard was then filled with the pops of Apparation as the Death Eaters left. Katherine's breath was ragged and struggled to come in and out as she lied on the ground. The gravel crunched as people ran over to her. Her head was still pounding and ringing when Tonks's face -back to normal- came into her line of sight.

"Evryone, 'cept the Order, need to leave." Katherine whispered, hoarsely, her words slurring together. Tonks nodded and yelled the message to the remaining guests. The yard sounded with more pops as everyone, except the Order, left.

Katherine saw Fleur kneel down in the dirt, in her white wedding dress.

"Ruin . . . dress." Katherine's voice barely came out.

"It doezn't matter." Fleur said. Katherine tried to roll her eyes, but grimaced instead.

"Can you walk?" Remus asked. Katherine tried to sit up, but could only raise herself up a few inches.

Katherine felt a Hover Charm under her as Remus led her inside the house. He started going towards the living room, but Katherine instructed him to go into the kitchen. He helped her stand up and she placed her hands on the back of a chair, the only thing holding her up.

Tonks, Remus, Bill, Fleur, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, and Ginny sat around the table. Mrs. Weasley handed Katherine a Strengthening Potion and Katherine downed it in one gulp. She coughed, but her voice was getting stronger.

"Alright, first thing first," Katherine said, her voice almost normal. "Make me a member of the Order."

"Katherine, we've been over this-" Remus began with a heavy sigh.

"I'm of age. You just saw me take a beating from Bellatrix Lestrange and survive." Katherine protested. Her grip on the chair tightened as her knee shot a fresh wave of pain through her. She lifted up her foot, so that she wasn't putting any pressure on her right leg.

Remus looked at her for a long moment before sighing again. "Fine. You're a member of the Order."

"Great!" Katherine smiled because she finally got what she had been asking for since fifth year. "Now, none of us should say 'Voldemort.' I have a feeling that he's going to use his name to find people loyal to Harry or Harry himself."

"He couldn't do that." Remus protested.

"I'm not sure if he can, but we can't take any chances. So, don't say his name anymore." Katherine said.

"Alright. Where'd Harry, Hermione, and Ron go?" Remus asked. Everyone's eyes snapped up to look at Katherine, who looked down.

"I don't know." She said after a long moment, finally looking up at them.

"How can you not know?" Ginny snapped. "You were going to go with them! You had Hermione, for Pete's sakes, you must have had a plan!"

"Yes, we did." Katherine said, patiently. "We were going to leave a couple of days after the wedding. We had no idea where we were going; we just assumed that we would come up with something by the time we left."

"What are they doing?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I can't tell you. The less people who know, the better. But I can assure you that Dumbledore told Harry to do this." Katherine said.

"So, what are we going to do?" Fred interjected before the adults could attempt to question Katherine further about Harry's whereabouts.

"Everyone needs to lay low." Katherine said, taking on an air of command. "We cannot afford to lose anyone because they've pissed off the new Ministry."

Everyone grimaced when she said _the new Ministry._

"Fred and George," Katherine said. "Keep the store open, pretend everything is normal, but keep an eye out. At the first sign of trouble, go to a safe house and stay there for twenty-four hours before contacting someone."

The twins nodded.

"Mr. Weasley," Katherine said, her voice getting glum. "I'm afraid that you might be out of a job. I don't believe that Vol- I mean, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will want to keep a Muggle safety department."

"It's alright. I'd rather stay at home." Mr. Weasley said, putting his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Bill and Fleur, you two go and have a nice honeymoon. Do you have a place to stay?" Katherine asked.

"We have Shell Cottage." Bill answered.

"Good." Katherine nodded. "Stay there and be very happy newlyweds. An easy thing to do."

Everyone allowed themselves slight smiles.

"Ginny will have to go back to Hogwarts." Katherine said.

"What?" Ginny nearly shouted.

"I'm sorry, but it will be the safest place." Katherine answered.

"Are _you_ going back to school?" Ginny asked with a hint of accusation.

"No. I have to go help Harry." Katherine said.

"How can you do that if you don't know where they are?" Ginny snapped.

"I will find them." Katherine said with such fierceness that Ginny backed down.

"How long do we need to lay low?" Remus asked.

"Until Harry calls you to help." Katherine answered.

Everyone at the table nodded, and then fell prey to their private musings. Suddenly, Katherine gasped and her head shot up to look at Tonks.

"Tonks! Your parents!" Katherine said, the statement making no sense to the others.

"Oh no!" Tonks said, understanding what Katherine was getting at.

"They'll be on Bellatrix's hit list." Katherine explained when no one else seemed to understand.

"What are we going to do?" Tonks asked.

"You and Remus need to go live with them." Katherine said.

"But-"

"No buts, Nymphadora." Katherine warned. "You need to go there and have a nice, happy pregnancy."

"Have a what?" Remus's voice went up an octave. Katherine looked from Tonks to Remus and back to Tonks in confusion. Then comprehension hit her.

"You didn't tell him?" Katherine asked, before her face turned to one of horror. "Oh my! I'm so sorry! I thought he knew!"

Tonks shook her head sadly as she looked at her husband, who seemed to have gone into severe shock.

"Weasleys, I believe we are needed in the living room." Katherine announced.

The Weasleys could not have left faster.


	43. Chapter 43

**Well, I really don't have anything to say, so. . . . Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 43<em>

Ginny helped Katherine hop to the couch in the living room. Mrs. Weasley closed the door to the kitchen so that Remus and Tonks would have some privacy. Katherine laid down on the couch with her right leg slightly bent. Her side had stopped bleeding and blood was caked to her dress. She closed her eyes and winced when she shifted her position.

"What is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly.

"My ribs." Katherine answered, her eyes still closed.

Mrs. Weasley tore Katherine's dress a little more in order to see the damage and instructed Ginny to get a blanket. Mrs. Weasley murmured Healing Charms and Katherine started to breathe better as her ribs were fixed. Mrs. Weasley then put bandages around Katherine's center.

"Thank you." Katherine whispered.

"Let me see your knee." Katherine heard Bill say. Katherine held out her leg to him. He held it gingerly and examined it. "This might hurt."

Katherine scoffed at the idea that anything could hurt her. Bill took the knee in his hands and snapped it like Katherine would if she had broken her nose. She gasped and her hands moved to grasp it. Bill swatted her hands as he straightened it out. He put two small, straight pieces of wood on either side, and then wrapped it up in a crude version of a cast.

"You'll need to not walk on it for a couple of days." Bill said.

"A couple of days?" Katherine's voice went higher than normal. "I can't wait a couple of days! I have to go find Harry, Ron, and Hermione!"

"You can't find them if you can't walk." Bill countered as Ginny placed the blanket over Katherine. Katherine knew he was right, but that didn't stop her from crossing her arms and muttering angrily.

"Bill, come help us clean up." Mr. Weasley said as he ushered the other Weasleys outside. Fleur started to walk towards the door, but Bill stopped her.

"No, darling, you're not supposed to do any work today." Bill said before he kissed her, and then left Fleur alone with Katherine.

Fleur lifted up Katherine's head, sat down, and then let Katherine's head fall into her lap. Katherine's eyes fluttered open sleepily.

"How are you feeling?" Fleur asked.

"I'm tired." Katherine answered while stifling a yawn.

"Why didn't you fight back?" Fleur asked.

"Because I deserved it." Katherine whispered. She started to notice the angry whispers coming from the kitchen and she flinched. Fleur observed this and rolled her eyes.

"That iz not your fault." Fleur said. "Tonkz would 'ave told 'im eventually."

"I need to learn when to shut up." Katherine whispered.

"Yeah." Fleur agreed.

The kitchen door swung open as Tonks and Remus shuffled through. Both looked haggard and sore. Tonks walked over, gently lifted Katherine's legs, sat down, and then placed Katherine's legs across her lap.

"You should keep this elevated." Tonks muttered, not looking at anyone in the eye.

Remus was standing behind the couch with a frown on his face. His hand was absentmindedly playing with Tonks's hair. Katherine frowned at him.

"Stop thinking." Katherine admonished. "Thinking only gets you in trouble."

"On the contrary, not thinking gets me in trouble." Remus said, looking at Tonks. Tonks looked up at him, placed her hand on her abdomen, and stared defiantly at him.

"I beg to differ." Tonks said quietly. Remus sighed and ran his free hand over his face.

"We'll discuss it later." Remus said, before looking down at Katherine. "As the newest member of the Order, you have to go check out all the safe houses to make sure they are safe."

"What?" Katherine nearly shrieked.

"You want to be part of the Order, right?" Remus asked, his lips twitching.

"Yes, but I have to go find my friends. My knee is already putting me behind a couple of days; I don't need anything else to delay me!"

"But the safe houses will save many people." Remus countered.

"So will what Harry needs help doing!" Katherine countered back.

"No more protests." Remus said with a tone of finality.

"How long will it take?" Katherine asked wearily.

"A month."

"_A month?_"

"You have to spend the night at each house and make sure the wards are working." Remus said, his lips twitching at her expression.

"I did not sign up for this." Katherine muttered, annoyed.

* * *

><p>It was three days later and Katherine was attempting to walk. She did this every night because, during the day, a Weasley was always watching her. Bill had told them, before he and Fleur left, that Katherine was not supposed to put weight on her knee.<p>

But Katherine wanted to get better and get her job for the Order done as quickly as possible. She needed to go find her friends. She couldn't delay any longer.

So, Katherine was hopping around the kitchen, being forced to grab the back of a chair when she lost her balance after the first few steps. She was muttering curses under her breath, when the door squeaked.

She whipped around, wand in hand, and fell forward. A pair of hands pulled her up from the floor. Katherine felt herself going red as Tonks helped her sit down and placed Katherine's wand on the table. Tonks's lips were twitching, but she looked upset.

Tonks's hair had twinges of gray, despite the fact that she was in her twenties. She had very dark bags under her eyes. Her hand was shaking involuntarily.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked quietly, mindful of the sleeping house.

Tonks didn't answer, instead she examined Katherine's face for a bruise from slamming into the floor.

"Tonks." Katherine said, starting to get worried. "What's wrong?"

Tonks didn't answer as she healed a bruise on Katherine's forehead.

"Tonks." Katherine said, grasping Tonks's wrists.

"I . . ." Tonks choked out before stopping and getting a faraway look in her worn eyes.

Katherine guided Tonks to the chair next to her. Katherine released Tonks's wrists and Tonks's hands moved to start drumming on the table.

"Tell me." Katherine said gently.

"Remus . . ." Tonks starting to say before faltering.

Katherine's throat constricted. Remus couldn't be -no, he couldn't be- dead. No, no, Tonks was just mistaken.

"Remus left me." Tonks said.

Katherine's eyes widened, and then her hands clenched in anger. She stood up, grabbed her wand, and started to storm towards the door. But her leg gave out and she fell onto the floor again.

"You know, you're a bigger klutz than me." Tonks said, a smile hidden in her voice.

Katherine pointed her finger at Tonks.

"Shut it, Nymphadora." She grunted into the floor.

Tonks laughed softly as she helped Katherine back up. Katherine moved back to her chair and sat down, but not before she hit her knee in annoyance.

"Holy crap." She whispered as she grabbed her knee in an attempt to stop the stinging pain.

"Perhaps one should not hit their injury." Tonks observed, fighting a laugh and a smile.

"Shut it." Katherine said vexed.

Tonks laughed again, but then stopped and stared off into space.

"Now, about Remus . . ." Katherine prompted.

"He left two days ago." Tonks said sadly.

"Why didn't you tell the Order?" Katherine asked. "We could have found him. He's probably in trouble."

"I thought he would come back. I thought that he would just need some time to think." Tonks said, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Why did he leave?" Katherine asked softly.

"He was afraid that he had passed the lycanthropy to his child." Tonks said, tears spilling over. "He said that he had made a mistake by marrying me because he had made me an outcast. He said that it would be better if he left. I thought he was just bluffing."

Tonks's lip quivered and Katherine was moved by impulse to embrace her. Tonks cried into Katherine's shoulder as Katherine rubbed her back soothingly.

"Don't worry, he'll be back." Katherine whispered.

"I can't lose him." Tonks cried. "I don't know what I'd do if he died and I never saw him before something like that happened."

"Already planning my funeral with the Little One, Nymphadora?" A soft male voice said. Katherine looked over Tonks's shoulder to see a disheveled Remus Lupin standing right behind them.

"You told him that stupid nickname? Dammit! I'll never get rid of it!" Katherine accused Tonks with a smile in her voice.

"Tonks." Remus said.

Tonks removed her head from Katherine shoulder and turned around. Her face was set, but then it quivered and Tonks threw her arms around Remus's neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, held her tightly, and kissed her cheek.

"What made you come back?" Tonks asked.

"I found Harry and he yelled at me for leaving. He made me realize that I was being a coward and a prat." Remus said. "I'm so sorry."

"You're back; that's all that matters." Tonks said as she kissed his lips for a few seconds before Katherine cleared her throat.

"You found Harry? Where are they?" Katherine asked.

"Grimmauld Place." Remus answered. Katherine stood up. "No, Katherine. You can't leave until you've finished your job."

"Remus!" Katherine snapped exasperated.

"Don't worry, Little One, I told you them about your situation." Remus said.

"Don't call me Little One." Katherine said irritably.

* * *

><p>A little over a month later, the Peters' house had been sold to Lucius Malfoy, Ginny had just gone to Hogwarts, and the new Ministry had created laws that required Muggle-borns to get registered. Like they were animals. Well, to some Purebloods, they were.<p>

Katherine shuffled into the Weasleys' kitchen, shrugged off her cloak, and dropped wearily into a chair. Remus stared up at her with an amused expression.

"I've finished." Katherine announced tiredly. "All the safe houses are safe."

"Are you sure?" Remus asked as Tonks walked in, placing two glasses on the table.

"Yes." Katherine answered.

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes."

"Would you stake your life on it?"

"Yes."

"Would you stake Tonks's life on it?"

Katherine looked at Remus with a quizzical expression. "Training to be a lawyer, Remus?"

"Maybe." He smiled.

"Well, I'm going to go get ready to leave. Lawyer Lupin, if you'll excuse me." Katherine said, standing up, picking up her cloak, and walking up the stairs to Ginny's room. She tried walking as normally as possible because she had developed a limp so slight that you would only noticed if you looked at the leg for a long time. But Katherine didn't want anyone to notice.

Katherine went into Ginny's room. Her trunk was in front of the second bed, and the boxes filled with the Peters' stuff were stacked up along the wall besides the bed. Katherine picked up her backpack from the bed.

She had clothes, essentials, a couple of school books, and her scales from Dumbledore inside the pack. In her left front pocket, she had a bundle of Muggle money. In the other front pocket, she had Sirius's knife.

Katherine frowned because she remembered putting a sack of Wizarding money in her pack, but it wasn't there. She decided that she would have to go to Gringotts before she met up with her friends.

Katherine went through a list in her head in order to make sure she had everything. When she was sure that she did, she decided to look in her trunk to see if she forgot something. Katherine opened the trunk and looked around.

After a few moments, Katherine pulled out something she hadn't seen for three years. It was a black coat with a zipper; it seemed like nothing to the average person, but Katherine smiled happily. The coat was a gift from Cedric during her fourth year. On the inside of the left part of the coat, there were rings that held up to five wands. The coat had a property that hid a wand, if it was in one of the rings, from searches, magical or physical. It was perfect for the witch on the run.

Katherine pulled on the coat -surprised that it still fit- and placed her wand inside one of the rings, after she shrunk her pack and placed that in the pocket with Sirius's knife. She then pulled on her black cloak.

Katherine was practically jumping up and down in joy because she was about to be with her friends again. It was strange to have spent a month without any word from them.

Katherine walked down the stairs with a goofy smile on her face. The smile was wiped away when she saw Tonks, Remus, Mr. Weasley, and Mrs. Weasley waiting for her. Katherine backed up and held her hands out to keep them back.

"No, we're not saying good-byes." Katherine said firmly.

"Why not?" Tonks asked.

"Because good-bye sounds like we're never going to see each other again; however, I intend to see all of you again." Katherine said, forcing a smile on her face as a heart-breaking thought went through her head.

_I said good-bye to Cedric that night of the third task. I said good-bye._


	44. Chapter 44

**Here is a shorter chapter than usual, but enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 44<em>

Katherine Apparated into the alley next to the Leaky Cauldron. She straightened her black cloak, and then pulled the hood above her head, making sure her face was obscured.

She slithered inside the Leaky Cauldron and made her way, darting through shadows, to the backdoor. She tapped the bricks and Diagon Alley opened before her. She walked to Gringotts cautiously, her green eyes darting all around, looking for threats.

Suddenly, a wall of photos made her stop. The wall was divided into thirds with three different photos on it. One section had a picture of Harry after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, where Harry looked completely lost and defeated. Underneath the picture, it read **UNDESIRABLE NUMBER ONE.**

The photo next to Harry's was Hermione after Dumbledore's death, where her brown eyes looked utterly dead. Her photo was staring away from everyone, never looking at any of the people shopping. Just like Harry's. Underneath hers, the picture had the words **UNDESIRABLE NUMBER TWO.**

Katherine's hands clenched under the long fabric her sleeves. She knew that Hermione was only made Undesirable Number Two because she was Harry's friend and a Muggle-born. That explained why Ron's picture wasn't on the wall.

The last photo was of Katherine. The picture Katherine was beaming and waving to everyone on the street. The picture was of her after the Battle of Department of Mysteries, but she refused to look dejected in front of the cameras, so she had smiled to all of them. Underneath it said **UNDESIRABLE NUMBER THREE.**

"I'm only Number Three!" Katherine screeched under her breath. "I'm way more dangerous than Hermione and Harry!"

Annoyed, she turned on her heel and walked away. She stopped in front of the great white building that was Gringotts. She was debating whether or not to go inside. She would have to say her name when she got to the counter, and it looked like the place was crawling with Death Eaters.

_Oh well, if they want to arrest me, they'll arrest me. I need money._ Katherine decided as she strolled inside.

She picked a goblin that seemed to be the farthest away from the Gringotts guards. It looked at her with a expression that was both annoyed and bored.

"I need to extract money from Katherine Peters's vault." Katherine whispered, hoping none of the guards would hear. The goblin's ears twitched and recognition flashed through his black eyes.

Katherine's hand darted under the cloak and griped the handle of her wand. Her green eyes scanned for the enemy and possible exits. If she was going to go down, she was going to take down as many as possible.

"Right this way, Miss Travers." The goblin said smoothly.

Katherine looked at him in surprise, but recovered her composure quickly. The goblin called for another goblin to escort her to her vault. Katherine rode the cart, her favorite thing about Gringotts, down to her vault. The goblin used her key to open her vault.

Katherine felt herself going red as the vault was opened; her vault was more pathetic than the Weasleys. But her mouth fell open in surprise instead. She gawked at the new wealth inside her vault. Instead of there being a pathetic pile of Sickles and a sprinkling of Galleons, there were small mountains of Galleons, rivers of Sickles, and hills of Knuts.

_Who could have given me this? _Katherine thought flabbergasted.

She immediately crossed Harry off of her list because he knew her stance on him giving her money.

Could it have been the Malfoys? Why would they give her money? She left them and had gone out of her way to avoid them as much as possible. Perhaps they still thought of her as their daughter and they were trying to help her.

The goblin coughed and Katherine shook herself out of her musings. She quickly filled her bag with Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. The goblin closed the vault and took Katherine back up to the surface.

She walked quickly out of Gringotts and out of Diagon Alley. She couldn't believe that the goblins had helped her. She guessed that they must prefer life before to life under Voldemort.

Katherine was lost in her thoughts when she walked into the Leaky Cauldron. She stopped, however, when she heard a witch whispering to her friend about how Harry Potter was spotted at the Ministry.

Katherine quickened her pace, went outside, and Apparated to Grimmauld Place. She threw open the door and ran all throughout the house, calling for her friends. There was no answer.

Katherine went down to the kitchen to search for some clue or something that would explain why her friends felt the need to walk into the belly of the beast. She could not find a single thing and picked up a newspaper to throw. A paper fluttered down from inside the newspaper.

Katherine picked it up and was annoyed to find it was blank. She was about to throw it away in frustration, but stopped when writing started to appear on the sheet.

_Dear Katherine,_

_If you're reading this two things have happened: One, your spell worked, and, two, we have left. We waited for the past month for you to come, but we had to leave. We found out that Umbridge has the locket and we left to go find it._

_ On the back of the sheet are places we have discussed about looking for the Horcruxes. We hope to see you soon. Ron says to bring more food. _

_ Miss you,_

_ Hermione_

Katherine smiled as she flipped over the sheet of paper. Once she had read the list of places, she folded the sheet and placed it in her pocket.

Katherine frowned as she thought about the witch's tone in the Leaky Cauldron. The way the witch said that Harry had been spotted made Katherine think that her friends had failed to get the locket.

"I guess I'll have to go and get it." Katherine murmured to herself. She turned on the spot and landed next to the telephone booth that doubled as the Visitor's Entrance to the Ministry.

Katherine walked inside and it took her down into the Ministry. She noticed that no one stopped her or asked what she was doing like the last time she had been there.

When the door opened to let her into the Atrium, she removed her hood, and walked like Mrs. Malfoy had taught her. Katherine walked with such confidence and power, the crowds parted for her. Her face looked like she was only looking straight ahead, but Katherine noticed people pointing at her, recognizing her. She was confident that no one would stop her because they were all wondering what Katherine Peters, Undesirable Number Three, was doing in the Ministry.

Katherine walked to Umbridge's office. The secretary outside of Katherine's ex-professor's office stopped Katherine.

"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" The secretary asked in an obnoxious voice.

"I don't need an appointment." Katherine responded in her aristocratic accent.

"Yes, you do." The secretary persisted.

"No, I don't." Katherine said firmly, letting her annoyance show. "Just tell her Katherine Peters is here."

The secretary frowned and started to open her mouth to say something, but Katherine ignored her and knocked on Umbridge's door.

"Come in." Umbridge's expired honey voice said from the behind the door. Katherine smirked at the secretary as she walked inside Umbridge's office.

The office was pink and covered with pictures of cats. Katherine cringed on the inside. Two high-backed chairs were sitting in front of a desk, which Umbridge was sitting behind. Umbridge herself was dressed head-to-toe in pink and was writing something.

Katherine cleared her throat and Umbridge looked up. Umbridge's face slid into a smile that reminded Katherine of Bellatrix. Umbridge set down her quill and looked at Katherine like a cat would a mouse.

"Miss Peters." Umbridge greeted, still wearing the Bellatrix-like smile.

"Dolores." Katherine nodded as she sat down.

"What do you want?" Umbridge asked, sizing Katherine up.

"Remember when you were teaching and you offered me a job at the Ministry?" Katherine asked, sitting in the chair like it was a throne.

"I remember, but I can't get you a job until you've taken your N.E.W.T.S." Umbridge said.

"I figured as much, but . . ." Katherine leaned forward and looked from side to side as if she was about to tell Umbridge a great secret. Umbridge took the bait and leaned forward. Katherine paused a moment and Umbridge started to fret with impatience.

"But what?" Umbridge snapped.

"I'm trying to join the Dark Lord." Katherine whispered. Umbridge's eyebrows flew skyward.

"Why don't you just join him? You are Lucius Malfoy's daughter." Umbridge asked.

Katherine laughed a cold laugh. "The Malfoy connection is mud now. They are out of favor with the Dark Lord. Why do you think I've severed my connections with them?"

"So, how are you planning to join Him?" Umbridge asked.

"I was hoping to join the Ministry and show him that I can help him control the Wizarding population." Katherine said.

"But you can't do that if you haven't passed your N.E.W.T.S." Umbridge pointed out.

"That's why I have another plan." Katherine said.

Katherine leaned back and adopted the sitting position Mrs. Malfoy had drilled into her. Katherine looked out the window, and then pretended to be examining her nails. Katherine could feel the anticipation rolling off of Umbridge in waves.

"I am going to deliver Harry Potter to Him." Katherine said, looking at Umbridge to judge her reaction. Umbridge only raised an eyebrow.

"How are you going to do that?" Umbridge asked.

"All of his friends believe me to be on their side, so if they find him, they'll tell me. But, right now, I'm hunting him." Katherine said, adopting a fierce look.

"Then why did you come to me?" Umbridge asked.

"I heard that Potter and his pathetic friends were spotted at the Ministry." Katherine said before looking pointedly at Umbridge. "And I heard they attacked you."

"They did." Umbridge nearly snarled. "They were disguised using Polyjuice Potion."

"Polyjuice Potion?" Katherine laughed. "Some brave Gryffindors. Can't even walk around with hiding behind a mask."

Umbridge laughed a cold laugh.

"So, what happened?" Katherine changed the subject.

"Yesterday, I ran into the Polyjuice versions of Potter and the Mudblood Granger." Umbridge began. "The Mudblood came down to the court rooms with me, while Potter went to my office. He was looking for something, but couldn't find it. However, he did steal Moody's eye."

"Moody's eye?" Katherine asked, hiding her anger with the woman.

"We found Moody's body and I was given his magical eye." Umbridge said, pointing to a hole in the door. "I would use it to watch the workers, but now it's gone."

"Potter." Katherine spat. "Always taking things that aren't his."

"So then, Potter came down to the court room bringing Weasel with him." Umbridge said. "I was interviewing Mudbloods, when Potter attacked me and took a locket I was wearing."

Katherine started laughing.

"Potter . . . endangered life and limb of Weasel and the M-" Katherine covered her hesitation with a cough. "Mudblood to get a necklace?"

Umbridge started laughing with Katherine. While laughing, Katherine felt relieved that her friends managed to get Slytherin's locket.

"Then, what happened?" Katherine asked when they both stopped laughing.

"The Polyjuice Potion wore off and the three fought their way out. They escaped." Umbridge grounded her teeth.

"Any idea where they went?" Katherine asked.

"None." Umbridge said.

"Well, damn." Katherine said. "This makes my job harder."

"So, what do you want me to do to help?" Umbridge asked. "Take away your title of Undesirable Number Three?"

"No, no." Katherine said. "That title is the only reason Potter trusts me. And I need him to trust me, if I want to find him."

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Oh well, Potter will make another blunder and I will find him." Katherine said as she stood up and walked towards the door.

Her fingers brushed the doorknob, when Umbridge did her little _hem hem._ Katherine turned around and Umbridge was staring at her curiously.

"You know, I'm being very merciful today." Umbridge said. "I could have arrested you and not listened to you at all."

Katherine laughed sincerely for the first time since stepping into the Ministry.

"Oh, no, Dolores, you weren't being merciful; you were curious." Katherine said. "You were curious as to why Undesirable Number Three would waltz into your office without a disguise and without her wand threatening you."

Umbridge stared at Katherine, who knew that she was right by the expression on Umbridge's face.

"But, as you know, Dolores," Katherine said as she flicked a plate with a picture of a cat that was on the wall and it shattered into many pieces on the floor. "Curiosity killed the cat."


	45. Chapter 45

**Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 45<em>

Katherine Apparated to the Tonks' house. She took off her cloak, shrunk it, took out her pack, and put her cloak inside it. Then she walked up the pathway to the lone house and knocked on the door. A moment later, Remus answered the door.

"Hey." Katherine said.

"Hey." Remus said, looking confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Let's go inside." Katherine said, casting a look over her shoulder.

Remus nodded and stepped back. Katherine slipped soundlessly inside. Remus led her to the living room, where Tonks was lounging on the couch.

"Hey," Katherine greeted as she moved over and hugged Tonks. "Where are your parents?"

"Shopping." Tonks answered.

"Alone?" Katherine asked with a frown.

"They wouldn't let us come." Tonks said, matching Katherine's frown.

Remus came over to the couch and sat down next to his wife. He put his arm around her and she placed her head on his shoulder. Katherine noticed, to her happiness, that Tonks's hair was back to being spiky and pink.

"Why aren't you with Harry?" Remus asked.

Katherine sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She sat down on the coffee table.

"He's not at Grimmauld Place." Katherine said, and then rolled her eyes. "They went into the Ministry and almost got caught."

"What?" Remus asked, his and Tonks's jaws were on the floor.

"They had to go get something from the Ministry." Katherine said.

"What was it?" Remus asked.

"Can't tell you, but it was important." Katherine said.

Remus nodded his understanding. The three fell into silence. Remus was absently rubbing Tonks's hand, which was resting on his right leg. After a while, Tonks sighed. Katherine's head jerked up and looked at Tonks worriedly.

"What?" Katherine asked gently.

"Dad's talking about leaving." Tonks sighed.

"Because he's a Muggle-born." Katherine said.

"And he's putting Mom in danger because he refuses to go get registered." Tonks said.

"Why doesn't he go into hiding with the Order?" Katherine asked.

"The Order isn't as strong; we can't protect anyone." Remus said glumly.

"Tonks," Katherine said sincerely. "If I run into your father, I will keep an eye on him."

"Thank you." Tonks breathed.

"So, what's your plan?" Remus asked, changing the subject.

"Hermione left me a list of places that they had talked about going. I'll look for them until I find them." Katherine said.

"And if you run into trouble?" Remus asked.

Katherine scoffed. "I can handle trouble."

"That's not what I hear, Miss Undesirable Number Three." Tonks said in a singsong voice.

"I can't believe I'm only Number Three. You guys think that I'm way more dangerous than Harry and Hermione, right?" Katherine asked.

Remus and Tonks started to roar with laughter. Katherine glared at them as she pulled out her wand. She pointed it straight at the laughing couple, who slowly stopped laughing as they realized that Katherine was about to hex them.

"I don't believe you answered my question." Katherine said in a dangerously sweet voice.

"You're so dangerous." Remus said, putting a hand over his mouth to hid his smile.

Katherine rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for leaving the sarcasm out of your voice." Katherine said sarcastically.

Remus's hand dropped to his stomach as he doubled over in laughter.

"It was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life." Remus laughed.

* * *

><p>Katherine left the sarcastic, laughing, annoying Lupins and went to the third place on Hermione's list. She remembered a conversation she and Hermione had had about how people always seem to choose the third thing. So, that is why Katherine chose the third place on the list.<p>

Katherine landed on a rocky cliff. She could see all around. Katherine turned slowly as she scanned the area, but she saw no sign of humans, let alone her friends. Katherine sat down on the rocks, pulled her legs close to her stomach, and wrapped her arms around her legs.

As she stared off into space, she realized how tired she was. She stormed the Ministry in morning, and then had to deal with the Lupin twits. She slowly fell asleep, but then awoke when the sun was shining in her face.

Katherine got up and looked around again. She saw no sign of her friends. Katherine cracked her back before pulling out her backpack to get something to eat. Once she was finished, she shrunk her pack, and returned to her sitting position.

She decided that she would wait for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to come.

* * *

><p>Katherine waited for a week before she decided that her friends were not coming. She took out the list and decided to try the last place on the list. She waited there for another week, but they never showed up. She then chose another place, waited for a week and a half, yet they didn't come.<p>

She continued this process for several more weeks. But she never found her friends. The most recent time, however, she got close.

Katherine Apparated to a place where a forest met a pebble beach, which led to a large lake. When Katherine saw the forest, she groaned because it would take forever to scan it for her friends. But then, her face lightened up as she came up with an idea.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" She said.

Her silvery archer came out from her wand. It stood before her with a quizzical expression. Katherine rolled her eyes because only her Patronous would have a bold personality.

"Find Harry." Katherine said.

The archer nodded, turned around, and then sprinted into the forest. Katherine sat down on the beach and waited. She couldn't shake a feeling that something had happened here. She couldn't explain it, but something bad had happened.

Before Katherine could explore the feeling some more, her archer returned. It gave her a look that told her that he hadn't found Harry. Katherine sighed and stood up. Suddenly, the archer turned and ran. Katherine followed it, bewildered. It stopped by a tree that was on the outskirts of the forest. Katherine came up to it and saw a red scarf was wrapped around it.

_They had been here!_ Katherine exclaimed happily as her archer returned back to her wand.

Katherine decided to spend the night at the place. She pitched a tent, set up a cot, and crawled under the covers. She yawned and slowly fell asleep.

* * *

><p><em>"Katherine!"<em> _The shrieking of her name pierced the dark sky. _

_ Katherine turned around frantically, searching for the voice. The darkness was surrounding her and she could not see._

_ "Katherine!" The voice shrieked again. _

_ Katherine spun all around again, but, this time, she discovered the source of the shrieking. Brown curls appeared in the dark and came closer. Katherine tried to run over to Hermione, but her legs gave out and she fell._

_ Suddenly, hands darted out of the darkness and grabbed Hermione roughly. Someone cackled behind the wall of black. Hermione screamed. Katherine tried to get up, but her legs gave out again._

_ "Katherine!" Hermione shrieked in terror._

_ "I'm coming!" Katherine stretched out her hand to Hermione, but her friend was out of reach. _

_ Katherine tried to get up, but her legs were refusing to move. She forced herself to stand up, but she was moving too slowly. Her legs seemed to be stuck in slow motion. She took another step, and collapsed into a heap._

_ "Katherine!" Hermione screamed, her voice shaking with fear, and it was fainter than before._

_ "I'm coming!" Katherine yelled into the darkness. She struggled to stand up, but her legs kept giving out._

_ "Katherine!" The voice was very faint now._

_ "I'M COMING!" Katherine bellowed, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice._

_ "Katherine, what is it? What's wrong?" A voice said from behind her. Katherine twisted to see Harry and Ron coming out of the darkness behind her. They ran to her side._

_ "They took Hermione!" Katherine yelled, near hysterics. The boys looked at each other._

_ "Who?" Ron asked with a tone that one uses when talking to a mental person._

_ "The Death Eaters!" Katherine yelled. Why were the boys being so thick? They needed to go get Hermione. Did they not understand that she couldn't? Katherine couldn't._

_ "No, who's Hermione?" Ron asked. Katherine looked at him in bewilderment._

_ "Our best friend since first year!" Katherine yelled at them. The boys looked at her like she was insane. "How can you not remember? 'It's Leviooosa, not Leviosaaaa!' C'mon, how can you forget her?"_

_ "Katherine, there is no Hermione." Harry said slowly._

_ "Yes, there is! Death Eaters just took her!" Katherine yelled._

_ "Look, Katherine, I'll go look for her." Ron said in a voice one would use with a rabid dog._

_ Ron rolled his eyes at Harry before he walked into the darkness. Katherine listened intently for Hermione, but it was silent. After a few more moments of complete silence, Katherine turned to Harry._

_ "Shouldn't you be helping him?" Katherine asked. Harry looked at her in confusion._

_ "Helping who?" Harry asked bemused._

_ "Ron." Katherine said in an annoyed voice._

_ "Who's Ron?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow._

_ "Ron Weasley! Your best friend! You met him on the train during first year! Remember?" Katherine screamed._

_ Why were they forgetting their friends?_

_ "Katherine, there is no Ron." Harry said, questioning her sanity in the process._

_ Suddenly, black figures surrounded the two. They grabbed Harry and dragged him into the darkness. Katherine stood up and collapsed again._

_ She heard a cackle above her, and then she was being wrenched up to her feet by her hair. Katherine struggled, but her limbs became heavy and lethargic. She saw Bellatrix letting go of Katherine's brown hair and shoving her curved wand into Katherine's throat. Bellatrix smirked at her._

_ "How does it feel to be alone, Little Katie?" Bellatrix sneered. "How does it feel knowing that you could have saved them? You're the reason they're gone. You couldn't save them."_

* * *

><p>Katherine jerked awake. Bellatrix's cackle rang tauntingly through her head. Katherine was shaking. From the cold, she told herself, it was the cold, not the dream.<p>

But it was the dream.

It was her worst nightmare; being helpless and unable to walk.

"I need to get out of here." Katherine muttered, distressed.

Her shaking did not subside. She wrapped her blankets tighter around herself, but the shaking would not stop.

With the blankets still wrapped around her, Katherine shrunk her tent, put it in her pack, which she shrunk and placed it her pocket. She looked around her, the sun was barely coming up, leaving the world in a purple darkness.

She turned and landed in Grimmauld Place. She opened the first door she came to, felt her way to a couch, and fell back asleep. She slept dreamlessly, but woke still feeling awful.

It had been months and she had yet to find them.

_I'll find them._ She assured herself. _I won't lose them._


	46. Chapter 46

**I am very excited about this chapter. I honestly woke up this morning saying, "I get to write the Christmas chapter! Yes!" So, I hope you all enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 46<em>

Katherine woke up and found herself in the tapestry room. The wall across from her held the tapestry of the Black family. Katherine kicked the blankets off of herself as she stood up and walked over to the tapestry.

She followed the gold line that went down from a Cygnus and a Druella to Bellatrix, the burnt hole that was Andromeda, and Narcissa. Katherine's eyes followed Mrs. Malfoy's line to Lucius Malfoy and down to Malfoy. Katherine cringed as her eyes locked on her own name on the tapestry.

"I am not one of them!" Katherine snarled.

She took out her wand, pointed it at her picture, and said the charm. Her picture was hit by a small flame and, once it was over, all that remained of her picture was a burnt hole.

Katherine smiled satisfied.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Katherine was asleep in one of the upstairs bedrooms. She was wrapped up in blankets because it was really cold. Katherine had watched it snow during the day, so she assumed it was either December, or January, or February. She had lost track of time.<p>

Suddenly, she heard the stairs creak. Katherine jerked up and was wide awake. She jumped out of bed and landed soundlessly. She pulled on the plain black coat from Cedric, shrunk her pack, and put it in her pocket. She made sure that she had Sirius's knife before waving her wand to make the bed and produced a layer of dirt on top of it. She wanted to give the appearance that the house had been abandoned for years.

She heard another step on the stairs creak. Katherine slipped into the shadows next to the closed door.

"Make more noise, would you, Yaxley?" An annoyed male's voice whispered.

"Sorry, Rodolphus." Yaxley responded.

"Just be quiet." Rodolphus Lestrange snarled.

Katherine held her breath. There was complete silence for a moment. Then the door slid open. Katherine saw two large figures creep into the room. With the pale moonlight streaming through the window, Katherine watched as they moved towards the bed.

"No one's here." Rodolphus said.

"I'm telling you! Someone is here!" Yaxley protested. "I put wards up to tell me when Potter came back here."

"So you have said, but where is Potter, Yaxley?" Rodolphus snarled as he turned around to face Yaxley.

Rodolphus opened his mouth to say more, but then it stretched into a predatory smile similar to his wife's.

"Why, hello, dear." Rodolphus said dangerously sweet. Yaxley turned around and both men smiled menacingly at Katherine.

"_Reducto!_" Katherine shouted. The spell hit the bed, which sprayed the two men with splinters. They were distracted by the wood barbs and Katherine ran out of the room. She was halfway down the stairs when she heard the thundering of the men behind her. Katherine had only one thought: to get out of there.

Spells crashed into the walls around Katherine as she ducked and dodged. One spell hit Mrs. Black's portrait and she screamed like a banshee.

"GOOD-BYE, YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD!" Mrs. Black screamed happily. "GET HER, RODDY!"

Katherine grabbed the side of a wall in order to turn herself into the entrance hallway while running at full speed. She charged down the entrance hall, but stopped when the front door swung open. Katherine stopped inches away from Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I've been waiting a long time to see you, Katie." Bellatrix smiled mockingly.

Katherine opened her mouth to reply, but, instead, she rammed her shoulder into Bellatrix's chest. Bellatrix went flying out into the snow. Katherine ducked a hex aimed at her from behind by Rodolphus and jumped over Bellatrix. Katherine ran through the snow until she reached the Apparition point.

She thought of the spot where Harry would want to go the most. The place that meant the most to Harry. The place where Harry would go. The place where Harry most likely was.

Katherine landed on the outskirts of a small village. She opened her eyes, which she closed during the Apparation, to see a sign that said **GODRIC'S HOLLOW**_**.**_

Katherine walked down the main road of the wizarding village. She heard singing coming from a small church. Katherine saw that the sermon board was wishing all a Merry Christmas. Katherine frowned because she hadn't known that it was Christmas. Soon, the people started to come out of the church. The children were saying good-bye to each other and saying how they were going to bed early so that Santa Clause would come.

_Ah. _Katherine thought. _It's only Christmas Eve._

Slightly satisfied that she hadn't forgotten Christmas, Katherine continued walking. She stopped when she came to a graveyard. She sighed because she knew that she would have to wait in there for Harry; it would be the first place he'd go.

Katherine walked inside the graveyard. She walked slowly through the gravestones. One tomb caught her eye and made her stop walking. The snow on top of the inscription looked as if it had been recently swept aside. The tombstone had the image of a triangle with a circle and a line inside of it. Katherine remembered having seen Xenophilius Lovegood wearing the symbol on a necklace at Bill's and Fleur's wedding. Underneath the symbol was the name Ignotus Peverell.

Since the name didn't ring any bells, Katherine continued walking. She stopped before a grave that was clear of any weeds and against the tombstone rested a wreath of white roses. Katherine smiled softly as she read the names on the gravestone: James and Lily Potter.

Katherine remained silent for a moment, lost in her musings. When she finished thinking, she pulled out her wand. She knelt before the tomb and created a second wreath of white roses.

Katherine sighed deeply and, with one last look at the Potters' grave, she turned and walked away. Katherine followed the road some more. Though she had decided to wait for Harry in the graveyard, she thought it best to search the area first.

Katherine stopped walking when she came to a house with its roof blown off. The house was half destroyed and looked ready to fall at any moment. Katherine realized with a pang that it was the house that James and Lily Potter were killed in.

Katherine pushed open the gate and listened to the crunching of the pathway as she walked to the front door of the house. Katherine went inside the house cautiously. Debris and nature were scattered all around the first floor of the house.

Katherine picked her way carefully through the first floor. She stopped, however, when a piece of paper caught her eye. Katherine bent down and picked up the piece of paper. It was a picture of the Potter family, smiling and happy.

Katherine carefully folded it and placed it in her pocket. She made a promise to give it to Harry once she found him.

The house groaned and Katherine decided to leave. She walked outside and through the gate, but then turned around to look at the house. In her mind's eye, she could see Voldemort stalking up the pathway, blasting open the door, and facing James Potter. She saw James fall and Voldemort step over the body. Katherine transferred her gaze to the top floor. She saw Lily Potter cradling Harry before putting Harry in the crib. The door to Harry's bedroom blasted open and Voldemort smirked as he walked in. Katherine could hear Lily begging Voldemort to spare Harry, to kill her. She heard Voldemort getting impatient with telling Lily to move. She saw the blast of green light, rather than seeing Lily falling dead. She saw Voldemort turn his wand on Harry.

Katherine was about to watch the spell backfire, but then an explosion ripped through the village. The force of the blast knocked Katherine to the right. She turned to see a house two houses down with a hole in the side of the roof.

Katherine ran over to the house. But she screeched to a halt when she saw a tall, white figure angrily marching out of the house with a huge snake trailing behind him. He jerked his head when he heard her stopped and scarlet eyes flashed with recognition.

"Peters." He growled.

Katherine bit back a snarky reply. Voldemort was pissed about something and she knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. Though Katherine was not afraid of death, she had a feeling that Voldemort would make it as painful and as drawn out as possible.

Katherine did not say a word; instead, she bent herself down into a low bow. Her eyes trained on the ground while she did. While she was bowing, she slipped her wand into her right sleeve and made sure that it was completely covered. As she straightened, she saw that Voldemort was smirking at her.

"Have fun, Bella." Voldemort said to someone over Katherine's shoulder. "But bring her back alive."

"What state should she be in, Master?" Katherine heard Bellatrix answer from behind her.

"Willing to answer questions." Voldemort said before he Apparated away.

Katherine got blasted from behind and she landed face first in the snow. She rolled over to see Bellatrix towering over her.

"You left so quickly, Katie. Don't you know that it's rude to leave your guests?" Bellatrix said mockingly.

Katherine bit back another hot reply because she knew that the situation was not to her advantage. It was better that she kept her mouth shut.

"Where's your wand, dear Katie?" Bellatrix said mockingly.

Katherine looked to her left, pretending to have seen her wand lying in the snow out of reach. She stretched out her left arm, making sure the Bellatrix followed that motion, while she shook her wand out of her sleeve and into her other hand.

Bellatrix watched Katherine's left arm stretch out. Then Bellatrix slammed her boot down on Katherine's fingers. Katherine winced as she felt them break.

"No, no, Katie-"

"_EXPELLIARMUS!_" Katherine shouted, interrupting Bellatrix.

The demented witch flew backwards as the spell slammed into her chest. Bellatrix rolled in the snow and looked at Katherine.

"Bye, bye, Auntie." Katherine smirked as she waved good-bye before she Disapparated.

Katherine landed on her stomach in the yard of the Burrow. She received a mouthful of dirt and snow. As she stood up, she started spitting out the disgusting combination. Lights were still on in the house, for which Katherine was grateful. She didn't want to wake up any of the Weasleys.

Katherine walked up to the front door and knocked. The door opened slightly and Mrs. Weasley's eye appeared in the crack. Katherine smiled.

"It's only me." Katherine said calmly.

Mrs. Weasley opened the door all the way and let Katherine inside. Mrs. Weasley hugged Katherine before leading her into the living room. Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, and Mr. Weasley were sitting around the Christmas tree.

"Where's Ginny?" Katherine asked.

"The students aren't allowed to leave Hogwarts." Mr. Weasley said bitterly. "The new Headmaster, Severus Snape, says that they are much safer at Hogwarts than at home."

Katherine made a face as she moved to sit next to Fleur on the couch. Fleur gasped and Katherine followed her gaze down to Katherine's left hand. Katherine's fingers were purple, swollen, and pointing in weird directions.

"Oh, I forgot about that." Katherine said, brushing away everyone's concern. Fleur took out her wand and fixed Katherine's fingers. Katherine smiled her thanks.

"I'm so glad you're here, Katherine!" Mrs. Weasley said, beaming.

"I'm glad to be here, too, Mrs. Weasley." Katherine said, smiling in return.

Mrs. Weasley went over to the Christmas tree and pulled out a present from a pile of four wrapped ones. Mrs. Weasley handed the present to Katherine, who smiled her thanks. Katherine opened the present and pulled out a black sweater with a gold K on the front. Katherine grinned as she took off her coat, put on the sweater, and then pulled her coat back on.

"Thank you so much." Katherine grinned. "Now, I know what it feels like to be a Weasley."

Everyone laughed. Then Mrs. Weasley retreated into the kitchen to get everyone some eggnog. Fred and George then walked over to Katherine.

"Who are those other presents for?" Katherine asked, looking at the pile of three presents, where hers had been before she got there.

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione." Fred said.

"Mom thought that they would come for Christmas." George added.

"I suppose you haven't found them yet." Fred said.

"No, but I will." Katherine said firmly and confidently.

* * *

><p>Far away from the Burrow, Death Eaters were sitting at a long polished table. Their Lord was sitting at the head, stroking his snake's head, and patiently waiting for Bellatrix Lestrange to return with the Peters girl.<p>

A pop introduced Bellatrix's entrance. The door to the dining room of Malfoy Manor flew open. Bellatrix ran through and fell to her knees at the Dark Lord's side.

"Master, forgive me." Bellatrix begged, keeping her eyes down, not daring to look at him.

"Explain, Bella." He said, his voice slowly becoming menacing.

"Peters escaped again, Master." Bellatrix said.

"Again?" The Dark Lord questioned.

"Yaxley, Bellatrix, and I went to Grimmauld Place, my Lord." Rodolphus Lestrange explained. "Peters was there, but she managed to avoid capture."

"Then she went to Godric's Hollow and escaped from Bellatrix again." The Dark Lord filled in the missing pieces.

"I'm sorry, Master." Bellatrix said, her face still downcast.

The Dark Lord was silent. He was lost in his own thoughts. Everyone, Bellatrix included, were waiting for Bellatrix's punishment. After waiting for what felt like eternity, the Death Eaters became noticeably fidgety.

"From now on, Katherine Peters will be brought to me alive and not harmed." The Dark Lord declared. "I want her to join us. She has impressed me today. She escaped my Death Eaters twice and has proven herself to be a very capable dueler. So, I want her alive and unharmed. Understand?"

The Death Eaters nodded.

"Good." The Dark Lord said as he stood up.

He strode out of the room and left the Manor. All of the Death Eaters followed his lead, except for the Malfoys. Lucius Malfoy poured himself his twelfth brandy of the evening. Narcissa Malfoy pursed her lips and looked down at her clasped hands resting on her lap. Draco Malfoy was shaking, since he had been forced to hide his fear during the entire meeting.

"This is wonderful." Lucius declared, slurring his words slightly.

"What is?" Narcissa snapped.

"Katherine will become a Death Eater and the Dark Lord will be pleased with us." Lucius said, raising his glass in some sort of toast.

"How will this miracle happen?" Narcissa asked sarcastically.

"The Dark Lord is impressed by her, our daughter. She will continue to impress him and serve him well. Through her, our family's fortunes will rise!" Lucius exclaimed excitedly.

"Is that true, Mother?" Draco asked quietly. Narcissa reached out and stroked his white blond hair.

"Of course it's true, Draco!" Lucius exclaimed.

Draco's lips twitched into an almost smile. He excused himself and walked through the Manor to Katherine's room.

The room had been left in the exact way in had been when she had last been at the Manor. Draco felt a sense of sadness. He hadn't seen Katherine since that night he had almost killed Dumbledore. Draco felt bile starting to rise in his throat, but he forced it down.

He looked all around the room and smiled half-amused and half-annoyed at the Gryffindor-themed room. He walked over to Katherine's dresser and saw two photos resting on it. One photo was of her and Diggory. They were wrapped around each other and smiling happily. On Katherine's face, was a smile that Draco had not seen since the night of Diggory's death. In fact, none of her smiles ever came close to that one.

The second photo was of that Dumbledore's Army from fifth year. Draco almost laughed as he realized that she had been a part of that group all along. She had lied to Professor Umbridge so easily.

In the photo, Katherine was in the center of the first row, her arms around Potter and Granger. She was the only one of them who was smiling. The rest of Dumbledore's Army were serious, yet she was smiling like she was having the time of her life. Draco nearly smiled when he saw her signature on the photo.

_Now, it's worth a million dollars._ He heard her voice say in his head.

He chuckled and started to feel better than he had in over a year. Katherine was coming back! He knew that she would. Katherine would singlehandedly make life better for the Malfoys.

Katherine would save them all. He knew it. He just knew it.

Because it had to be true.


	47. Chapter 47

**Now in this chapter, Katherine may seem a little OOC, but I promise that it is important that she is. So, enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 47<em>

Katherine stayed at the Burrow through New Year's. Bill and Fleur left the day after New Year's. Fred and George stayed because they had felt like someone was watching them in Diagon Alley.

The Weasleys and Katherine were sitting in the living room the day after Bill's and Fleur's departure. Katherine was reading one of the books Hermione had left behind. Fred and George were playing Exploding Snap and trying their hardest to make the fireworks hit Katherine. Mrs. Weasley was listening to her favorite singer and Mr. Weasley was reading the _Evening Prophet_.

They all stopped what they were doing, when they heard a pop in the yard. Katherine was up, wand in hand, and ran to the window. She saw Remus running like a werewolf was on his tail to the door. Katherine beat him to it and threw it open. He raced in and went to the living room.

"They're coming! You have to get out of here!" Remus yelled.

Everyone froze. Katherine was the first to come back to life.

"Alright, everyone, get into pairs and Apparate to the safe house." Katherine instructed.

Fred and George grabbed their packs and were the first to leave. Mrs. Weasley refused to budge.

"What about Ginny?" She asked almost hysterically.

"I told Aberforth and he went to go get her out of Hogwarts." Remus said.

"I'll go get her and deliver her to the safe house." Katherine said.

Mrs. Weasley smiled and allowed Mr. Weasley, who had both packs slung over his shoulders, to Apparate them away.

"Hogsmeade, Hog's Head." Remus said.

Katherine nodded and Apparated into a back alley of Hogsmeade. She heard alarms go off. She cursed under her breath as she dove into Hog's Head. Aberforth Dumbledore grabbed her and dragged her downstairs. Ginny was waiting impatiently.

"C'mon. We haven't much time." Katherine said.

She ran upstairs and out into Hogsmeade with Ginny at her side. She tried Apparating, but couldn't.

"Hey, you! Stop!" Katherine turned to see brawny figures chasing after them.

"Run!" Katherine yelled, pushing Ginny forward.

The two girls ran and listened to the pounding of feet as the brawny figures chased them. They raced through Hogsmeade. Katherine thought of nothing more than running away from the men and getting out of the Anti-Apparation ward.

Katherine could see that ahead was a cliff with the Black Lake swirling below it. Katherine got an idea. While running, she scooped up two large rocks. When she and Ginny made it to the edge, Katherine dropped the rocks.

"Trust me." Katherine said, grabbing Ginny's hand and jumping off the cliff.

Ginny screamed as they fell. Katherine took a breath and Apparated them away.

When the two brawny men reached the edge of the cliff, they saw two spouts of water jet out from the surface, then ripples, and then no one came back up.

"I guess this is the end of Katherine Peters." One of the men said happily.

"Bellatrix will be upset." The other one said.

"Why?"

"Because she wanted to do in Peters herself."

* * *

><p>When Katherine and Ginny landed, Ginny pushed Katherine. Katherine, having been caught off guard, stumbled backwards.<p>

"Must you scare the crap out of me?" Ginny screamed.

Katherine started laughing heartedly. "If I get this reaction when I do, yes."

* * *

><p>Katherine left the safe house once Ginny was inside. She decided that she would try the places on the list again. She had one place left to check by the end of March. She had still not found Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If she wasn't frustrated before, she was beyond frustrated now.<p>

Katherine shook herself in order to get herself to focus. She was walking on the outskirts of a village, keeping an eye out for her friends. She had been searching for hours and was shaking from anger and frustration.

"Dammit!" Katherine said angrily. "They wouldn't be gone if it wasn't for Voldemort!"

Suddenly, cracks sounded throughout the village. Katherine darted out of the forest to see Death Eaters and Snatchers dragging people out of their houses. Screams erupted everywhere and Katherine started flinching. Guilt and sleep deprivation were mixing inside her and creating a new Katherine.

Katherine saw a mass of untamed black hair dragging a fair haired man to the opposite outskirts. Katherine ran to help the man. She tried to ignore the screaming and the sounds of people getting killed. It was her fault that they were dying. Her fault.

Katherine made it to where Bellatrix was to see her demented aunt circling a bound man. He was on his knees with his hands bound behind his back.

"I know that you were the one that said the Dark Lord's name, Mudblood." Bellatrix snarled.

The man opened his mouth to speak, but Bellatrix slapped his face. The crack and the grotesque snap of his neck made Katherine nauseous.

"Don't speak unless spoken to, Mudblood!" Bellatrix screeched.

Katherine grimaced again and ducked behind a bush. Reluctantly, she peeked out at the scene.

"I'm going to make you pay, Mudblood." Bellatrix said, low and menacingly. "You are the reason my sister left. You are the reason she became a Blood Traitor. And you're going to pay."

Katherine's mouth fell open as she recognized the man. It was Ted Tonks, Tonks's father and Andromeda's husband. The reason Andromeda got blasted off the Black family tapestry.

Ted grunted in pain as Bellatrix slammed her boot into his stomach. Katherine twitched as Ted spat out blood and a little bit streamed down the corner of his mouth.

"Your sister would have left even if hadn't fallen in love with me." Ted said, staring down Bellatrix. "She would have left because she wouldn't want to associate with a bitch."

Katherine smiled amused. She knew that Ted knew he was done for, but he was going to have some fun before he died.

_Why am I not helping him?_ Katherine thought. She was hiding behind a bush. Bellatrix had her back to her. She had the perfect shot, but she wasn't doing anything.

Someone screamed louder and Katherine covered her ears. She curled into a ball and tried to block out the people.

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._

Pressing her fingers harder into her ears, made the mantra grow louder. Loosening the pressure, made Katherine hear the screams. It was a lose-lose situation.

"SHUT UP, MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix's yelling overwhelmed the other sounds. Katherine peeked out from behind her bush again. Ted was bleeding from everywhere, he had bruises, many of his bones looked broken, yet he had an amused smile on his face.

"Does it hurt, Bellatrix?" Ted asked tauntingly. "Does it hurt knowing that Andy chose me over you? That she loved a Mudblood more than her own sister."

"Shut up." Bellatrix commanded furiously.

"She ran off with me, even after you came after her. She chose me." Ted taunted.

"Shut up!"

"'Andy, please don't go! I need you!'" Ted said in an imitation of Bellatrix.

"SHUT UP!"

"You know why she chose me?" Ted asked, his voice growing soft and fading. "Because I love her more than you ever can."

"LIAR!" Bellatrix bellowed. "_AVADA KEDAVRA!_"

The green light erupted from Bellatrix's curved wand. Katherine heard, rather than saw, Ted fall. Katherine waited for Bellatrix to leave, but she didn't hear any sound of Apparation.

Katherine looked and saw Bellatrix had torn Ted's shirt and was leaning over his stomach. After about ten minutes, Bellatrix Disapparated.

Katherine shakily stood up as the screaming stopped. Her ears were ringing and she felt like a soldier right after a battle. The area was unnaturally quiet. She looked around and saw that the Death Eaters and the Snatchers were gone.

She walked shakily over to Ted's body. She held in a scream as she beheld what Bellatrix had done to the body. Katherine took off Ted's shirt and put it on him the wrong way, where the back of the shirt was covering his torso.

She picked up the body, and then Apparated to Tonks's house. Katherine walked to the front door and knocked. Tonks opened the door and was smiling until she saw the body. She stepped inside and Katherine ran into the living room. She placed the body on the couch and turned around to the very pregnant woman.

"Bathroom?" Katherine asked, putting her hand over her mouth.

Tonks pointed to a door and Katherine ran inside it. She barely made it to the toilet before she started hurling. Tonks came over and held Katherine's hair back. Once Katherine was done, Tonks handed her a glass of water. Katherine took a swig, swished, and then spat in the sink. Tonks handed her some mouthwash, which she used gratefully.

Then both of them stood up and walked into the living room. Ted Tonks's body was still lying on the couch. Tonks sat on the coffee table in front of the couch. Katherine stood behind her.

"Where's Remus and your mom?" Katherine asked.

"Shopping. I'm supposed to be in bed." Tonks said.

"Then go back to bed." Katherine said.

Tonks shook her head and the two fell silent, each staring at Ted Tonks's body.

"Why is his shirt on weird?" Tonks asked, her hand grabbing the shirt.

"Wait, Tonks! No!" Katherine shouted, jumping to stop Tonks hand, but failing.

"Shit!" Tonks exclaimed after she took off her dead father's shirt.

On Ted's torso were two words that were etched into him with a jagged knife. The wounds were deep and showed that the author passionately hated Ted.

"'Mudblood Scum.'" Tonks read.

Katherine cringed and fought the bile rising in her throat.

"Who did this?" Tonks asked, her hand on her mouth.

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

Tonks let out a strangled cry. Katherine hugged Tonks tightly, but conscious of the pregnant stomach. Tonks cried into Katherine's shoulder.

"Mom can't see the writing." Tonks said into Katherine's shoulder.

"I'll take care of it." Katherine waved her wand and Ted was put in a new shirt that completely covered the writing.

Tonks cried some more into Katherine's shoulder. Katherine rubbed Tonks back, but said nothing. She would never tell someone everything's going to be fine, when she knew that it wouldn't be.

With a big sigh, Tonks pulled out of Katherine's embrace.

"Do you want me to stay?" Katherine asked.

"I think I need to be alone." Tonks said hoarsely.

Katherine nodded and hugged Tonks good-bye. Katherine walked as quickly as was possible without attracting Tonks's attention. Once Katherine was outside, she Apparated to the rocky cliff she had first visited. She hastily casted a _Muffliato_ and started to angrily storm around the top of the cliff.

"HOW COULD I LET THEM DIE?" Katherine yelled at herself. "WHERE THE HELL WAS MY BLOODY HERO COMPLEX? I LET A WHOLE VILLAGE DIE! I STOOD BY AND DID NOTHING! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?"

Katherine kicked savagely at rocks and watched them sail off the cliff.

"I BROKE MY FREAKING PROMISE!" Katherine yelled even louder. "I TOLD TONKS THAT I WOULD HELP HER FATHER AND I LET HIM DIE! I LET HIM DIE!"

_Your fault. Your fault. Your fault. Your fault._ Every word in the mantra socked Katherine in the stomach.

"I HID LIKE A BLOOD COWARD! WHAT KIND OF GRYFFINDOR AM I?"

_A lonely, stressed one._ A sad, quiet voice in the back of her head said.


	48. Chapter 48

**I can't explain how happy I am that I am about to start my favorite section! I have had this section planned out since second year! So, enjoy!**

**P.S. Snarky Katherine alert**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 48<em>

Katherine vowed to never ever speak of what happened at the village to anyone. She would act as if she had never been a coward. As if she had never been the cause of a village's death.

She would make sure that it would never happen again.

* * *

><p>Katherine decided to try something new: meditation. She was currently sitting on the rock cliff in a meditating position. It was easy for her to clear her mind, but the symbol from the tombstone in Godric's Hollow kept popping up.<p>

After attempting for twenty minutes to banish the stupid thing, she decided to find out more. Katherine stood up and Apparated to Xenophilius Lovegood's house. Katherine landed in a field a hundred yards away from a house that reminded Katherine of a smaller version of the Burrow.

As Katherine walked towards the house, she noticed how beautiful the day was for being a March day. It could have been raining cats and dogs, but, thankfully, it wasn't.

Katherine was halfway there, when the house was attacked by Death Eaters. A blond haired figure was yelling at the Death Eaters, who cursed him and sent him flying. Katherine broke into a run as the walls of the house started to be blown to pieces. She was close to the house and she saw, to her utter happiness, Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Hey! Hey!" Katherine shouted to them, waving her arms through in the air to get their attention.

"Katherine!" Hermione shouted. "Dean!"

Katherine watched helplessly as her friends Disapparated. She wanted to scream at them. How dare they leave her again?

What did Hermione mean by Dean? The name was ringing a bell, but Katherine couldn't place it. Then she remembered that the Forest of Dean was on the list that Hermione had left Katherine.

Smiling, Katherine was about to Apparate, but stopped when she saw Xenophilius Lovegood lying on the ground unmoving. The Death Eaters, at the moment, were too busy destroying the house piece by piece to notice Lovegood, but they soon would.

Katherine ran over to him. She dove as a piece of the roof started to fall down upon them. She gripped Lovegood's wrist and Apparated them to the Weasleys' safe house.

Katherine landed and the twins ran out. They picked up Lovegood and Katherine jumped to her feet. She was about to Apparate to the Forest of Dean, but Lovegood woke and grabbed her hand in a death grip.

"Mr. Lovegood, let go." Katherine commanded gently.

"No, no, no." He murmured.

"Katherine, we need go inside." Fred said.

"Quickly." Katherine ordered, getting impatient.

The twins dragged Lovegood, who was dragging Katherine inside. They placed Lovegood on the couch and he refused to let go of Katherine's wrist. Katherine's foot was tapping impatiently. She knew where her friends were and she was so close to be being with them.

_ LET GO OF ME!_ Katherine yelled in her mind, hoping that Lovegood would get the message.

"C'mon, Mr. Lovegood, just let go of Katherine." Fred said, trying to pry Lovegood's hand open, but failing.

"My daughter . . . my daughter . . ." Lovegood murmured, his eyes darting around frantically.

"I'll find her, Mr. Lovegood, but you have to let go of me." Katherine said, hiding her impatience.

"Luna . . . my dear Luna . . ." Lovegood continued to murmur, his grip getting tighter.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked as she walked into the room.

"Help me!" Katherine said as she pulled her hand, but it would not get free.

"Let go, Mr. Lovegood." Ginny said soothingly.

Lovegood gripped tighter. Katherine took out her wand and raised it above her head. Ginny grabbed her wand hand and stopped her.

"Dammit, Ginny! I'm wasting time!" Katherine shouted impatiently.

"Wasting time?" Ginny asked.

"I know where Harry is! I almost caught up with them!" Katherine yelled.

"Carry on then." Ginny said, letting go of Katherine's wand hand.

Katherine brought her wand down, only to have it blasted from her hand. She looked up to see Mrs. Weasley pointing her wand at Katherine.

"No cursing each other." Mrs. Weasley said in a no nonsense voice.

"No, Mrs. Weasley, you don't understand." Katherine said quickly. "I have to go, but he won't let go."

"Xenophilius, you need to let go of Katherine." Mrs. Weasley said soothingly.

"Luna . . . gone . . . my fault . . ." Lovegood murmured.

"LET GO!" Katherine bellowed. Lovegood did not seem to have heard her shout.

"My Luna . . . hurt . . . my fault . . ." Lovegood continued to mutter.

"Mr. Lovegood, let go." George said.

Fred wrapped his arms under Katherine's waist and started pulling. George grabbed Lovegood's hand and pulled.

"Ow, ow, ow! Not working!" Katherine shouted as she was being stretched. The twins quickly let go.

"Luna . . . Luna . . ." Lovegood muttered, his eyes zooming around wildly.

"I know where Luna is!" Katherine lied, exasperated.

Lovegood's eyes stopped roaming and fixed themselves upon her.

"You do?" He asked, hope creeping into his voice.

"Yes." Katherine lied. "But you have to let go of me."

"You'll save her?" Lovegood asked.

"Yes." Katherine answered impatiently.

Lovegood's grip loosened a little and Katherine took her chance. She ripped her wrist out of Lovegood's hand and stumbled back into Fred, who caught her. Katherine regained her balance and picked up her wand.

"See you all later." Katherine said as she ran out the door. Her feet had barely touched the dirt pathway, when she Apparated to the Forest of Dean.

She landed and breathed a sigh of relief. She was closer than she ever had been before. She was really annoyed that she wasted twenty or so minutes trying to free herself from Lovegood.

Katherine looked at the forest and knew that it would take too long to search it. She raised her wand.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" Katherine said.

Her silvery archer popped out and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Find Harry." Katherine said.

It nodded and ran off for a couple of yards before he turned around and waved her over. Katherine came over and looked down at what her Patronus was pointing at. There were three sets of footprints, fresh, below her.

Katherine chose one of the sets and saw that the strides were getting longer, meaning that someone was running. Katherine ran down the hill, following the tracks. She jumped over a fallen tree, wishing that her suspicion was wrong.

The footprints turned into a skid marks, and then stopped.

Katherine felt her stomach drop as she realized what happened. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been attacked and, most likely, taken.

Katherine started to think about where someone would take Harry Potter. She was pondering it for a moment, before she slapped herself for her stupidity. They would take Harry to Voldemort.

Katherine put her wand inside her black coat pocket and took a deep breath.

"VOLDEMORT! VOLDEMORT! VOLDY, VOLDY, VOLDEMORT!" Katherine shouted.

Then she heard multiple pops of Apparation all around her. Katherine smiled at the Snatchers who started to circle her.

"What d'you mean by shoutin' 'is name?" One of the Snatchers asked.

"Take me to your leader." Katherine answered.

"What's your name?" The Snatcher asked.

"Katherine Peters." She answered confidently.

The Snatcher pulled out a small journal, and then a smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Search her." He ordered.

Katherine raised up her arms to make the other Snatchers' job easier. They padded her down and did not feel her wand. She silently thanked Cedric.

"Clean." A Snatcher reported.

"Where's your wand?" The head Snatcher asked.

"Lost it." Katherine lied smoothly.

"Why were you screamin' 'is name?" The head Snatcher questioned.

"I want to go see him." Katherine said, smiling.

"We'll take you to 'im." The head Snatcher replied pleasantly.

He grabbed Katherine's arm and Apparated them to a place that was very familiar to Katherine. Malfoy Manor loomed in front of them. Katherine swallowed her fear and stood taller.

The Snatchers marched her forward and stopped in front of the grand iron gate. A figure with a mane of wild hair was waiting on the other side of the gate for them.

"Peters." Bellatrix nearly purred in delight.

"Hello, Auntie. Long time, no see." Katherine said pleasantly.

"What are you waiting for? Hand her over." Bellatrix commanded to the Snatchers.

"First, you give us our reward." The head Snatcher demanded.

Bellatrix's black eyes glinted and Katherine's stomach sank as she recognized the look.

"Uh . . . can I go stand over there?" Katherine asked, pointing at the spot next to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix nodded and opened the gate. Katherine slipped through and did not turn around. She did not need to see to know what reward was being given to the Snatchers. She heard screams and cries of agony. And then, she heard shouts to run and pops of Apparation.

Then she felt a wand being jammed into the small of her back. Katherine squirmed away, but Bellatrix's hand gripped her shoulder, her nails like talons piercing Katherine's coat.

"Ow, Bella, not so hard. I'm not running, am I?" Katherine protested, but Bellatrix just jammed her wand harder into Katherine's back.

"Move it, Peters." Bellatrix growled.

Katherine was being forced inside the Manor and steered into the dining room. Katherine noticed that a very long table took up most of the space.

_Where's Harry?_ Katherine thought anxiously.

"The Dark Lord will be here soon." Bellatrix said.

"Mmkay." Katherine said, not really listening.

For some reason, Bellatrix hadn't killed her yet. Bellatrix hadn't even harmed her. Katherine inwardly smiled as she realized that Voldemort must want her for something and must have forbidden his Death Eaters from harming her.

_Oh, I've going to have a lot of fun._ Katherine's green eyes glinted mischievously.

Katherine took a step forward and something crunched under her foot. She looked down and saw glass. Katherine looked up with a confused frown to see that the chandelier was missing. Katherine looked at Bellatrix, who looked amused and was twirling her wand.

Katherine looked down at the glass again and saw drops of blood. Her frown deepened because Narcissa wouldn't let blood remain on her wood floor unless it was recent. Katherine saw a piece of brown curly hair and she knew that they were here.

Katherine continued walking around, musing about where Harry, Ron, and Hermione would be. Her green eyes fell on the wine cellar door. She started towards it. She looked through the small window, but saw only darkness. She tried opening the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"What the hell are you doing?" Bellatrix screeched from behind Katherine.

"Harry? Ron? Hermione?" Katherine asked through the door, placing her ear against it, listening for any sound. But it was as silent as a tomb.

"Did you hear me, filth?" Bellatrix shrieked.

Katherine rolled her eyes and climbed up the stairs to the main part of the dining room. Katherine adopted a haughty, arrogant, aristocratic manner and stared down her demonic aunt.

"I was trying to find my favorite bottle of wine, but the cellar's locked." Katherine lied easily.

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.

Something caught Katherine's eye over by the window. She nonchalantly walked over to window and pretended to be watching the peacocks fight each other. Discreetly, she looked down and saw a brown, beautiful wand lying near the window sill. She kicked it up into her hand and recognized it immediately.

"Where are they?" Katherine said as she whipped around, pointing Hermione's wand at Bellatrix, who already had her wand pointed at Katherine.

"Who?" Bellatrix responded in an mockingly innocent voice.

"You know damn well who!" Katherine spat.

"Temper, temper, dear Katie." Bellatrix mocked as she and Katherine started to circle each other to where they were on opposite sides of the table. Katherine was facing the window and using the multiple chairs on the length of the table as a crude cover.

"Just tell me, Bellatrix." Katherine growled, her grip on her wand tightening.

"Why?" Bellatrix trilled.

"Because I said so!" Katherine yelled.

"They're gone." A new voice interjected from the doorway.

"What?" Katherine said at the same time as Bellatrix whined, "Narcissa!"

Mrs. Malfoy walked up to where she was in between her sister and her daughter. Both Bellatrix and Katherine adjusted their position so that they could have the clearest shot at the other.

"Katherine, they're gone. They left five minutes ago." Mrs. Malfoy said calmly.

Katherine felt like she just got hit by a train. Five minutes. She was five minutes late. She was so close to finding them, but she was late. Five minutes late.

"Well then, I have to go." Katherine said as she pocketed Hermione's wand in her black coat.

"You're not leaving so soon?" Mrs. Malfoy asked, looking sad.

"I'm afraid I have to. I'm imposing upon your hospitality, Mrs. Malfoy." Katherine raised her hand, mimicking tipping her hat.

Katherine turned to the right and walked towards the door. As she walked through the doorway, Voldemort came through the opposite way. Katherine kept calm as she raised her hand to acknowledge him.

"Hi, Tommy, bye, Tommy." She said, increasing speed a little.

She was almost half way through the next room, when she felt like an invisible rope was lassoing her middle. Katherine sighed as it pulled her back into the dining room.

"Narcissa . . . leave us." Voldemort commanded.

Mrs. Malfoy looked at Katherine, who sat down at the head chair with her back to the door. Katherine smiled encouragingly and waved Mrs. Malfoy away. Mrs. Malfoy breathed a sigh and left, shutting the door as she went through.

"You're probably wondering why you haven't been killed yet, am I correct, Peters?" Voldemort asked.

"Please, Tommy, we're all friends here; call me Miss Peters." Katherine said with a obviously false smile.

"I want you to join me." Voldemort said.

"No thanks." Katherine replied without missing a beat.

"I knew that would be your answer."

"Are you a Seer now, Tommy?"

"Shut up, filth!" Bellatrix interjected angrily. "How dare you speak to the Dark Lord like that!"

"You've been made a lord, Tommy? Congrats. Did you know that you get money for that? Maybe now you can pay Bella for her . . . ah . . . _nightly services_." Katherine said, lips twitching.

Bellatrix jumped forward, but Voldemort stopped her.

"Relax, Bella." Voldemort said. "Miss Peters, are you wondering why I want you to join me?"

"I really don't care." Katherine said, yawning.

"You have impressed me." Voldemort said, ignoring her. "But there is something I have yet to see. . . . Come here."

Katherine got up and walked over to Voldemort and Bellatrix by the windows. She raised a bored eyebrow at him.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix yelled.

Katherine ignored the pain; it was there, but it was tolerable. She crossed her arms lazily and yawned again. Voldemort watched her for any signs of agony, but Katherine refused to show it. It was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

Bellatrix released the curse. Katherine yawned again and looked at her left wrist like she was wearing a watch.

"Is this going to take much longer?" Katherine asked. "Because I have somewhere I need to be."

"I'm curious." Voldemort said, ignoring her again. "Can you deflect another Unforgiveable Curse? Bella."

"_Imperio!_" Bellatrix said.

Katherine felt like she was on a cloud and everything was beautiful. There was a very nice voice telling her to do something. She really wanted to do it.

Katherine came back to her senses to find herself looking at white bare feet. She was crouched down at Voldemort's feet and if the taste in her mouth was correct, she had just kissed Voldemort's feet.

So, she vomited all over them.

Voldemort grabbed her by the front of her shirt and lifted her to where her feet were dangling a foot in the air. They were eye-to-eye, Voldemort snarling, and Katherine smirking.

"You insolent little bitch." Voldemort snarled.

Katherine laughed coolly. "You didn't like my present, Tommy?"

Voldemort snarled and threw Katherine down the table. Katherine tumbled and crashed into the chair she had previously occupied. She landed right side up in the chair, which tilted backwards, and then whipped back forwards. Katherine shook her bangs out of her eyes and smirked at Voldemort.

"Did your father teach you that, Tommy? You know, Muggle fighting?" Katherine asked, laughing mockingly.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Bellatrix screamed.

"Bella," Voldemort said calmly, glaring at Katherine. "Go get your sister and tell her to come here. Then get your brother-in-law and nephew, and return here with them."

"Yes, Master." Bellatrix said. She started walking towards the door, but stopped next to Katherine. Bellatrix glared at Katherine and raised her hand.

"If you strike me, you are no gentleman." Katherine said in a falsely pleasant voice.

Bellatrix hit her. Katherine smirked at Bellatrix as she left.

So then it was just Voldemort and Katherine alone. Voldemort had waved his wand and cleaned the vomit. When he was finished, he started looking at Katherine curiously. Katherine, for her part, was looking at the ceiling, then looking out the window, while humming an undistinguishable tune under her breath.

"So, nice weather we're having." Katherine commentated.

"Where's Potter?" Voldemort asked abruptly.

Katherine smirked and didn't say anything.

"I was called here because Potter had been captured. You are known to be travelling with Potter, yet he is not here and you are." Voldemort continued.

"You know why Harry's not here?" Katherine asked, eyes sparkling with amusement.

Voldemort leaned forward.

"Because your Death Eaters let him escape." Katherine whispered amused.

Voldemort's scarlet eyes sparked with anger. But then the door opened and the eyes simmered.

"Narcissa, I wish you to take Peters to a guest room that she can't leave from." Voldemort ordered.

"Yes, my Lord." Mrs. Malfoy answered subserviently.

Katherine stood up and raised her chin as she looked at Voldemort.

"I don't care what you do to me, Tommy, I will never join you." Katherine said firmly.

"Never say never, Miss Peters." Voldemort said.

"And don't get your hopes up, Tommy."


	49. Chapter 49

**Here's a shorter chapter, but enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 49<em>

Mrs. Malfoy led Katherine through the Manor to a room on the fourth floor. Mrs. Malfoy opened the first door on the left and held it for Katherine. Katherine walked inside the room, but was stopped by Mrs. Malfoy grabbing her wrist. Katherine ripped her wrist away.

"Forgive me, but I do not associate with Death Eaters." Katherine said coldly before slamming the door in Mrs. Malfoy's face.

Katherine turned her attention to the room. A queen sized bed with a canopy held up by four mahogany posts was on the right of and diagonal to the door and took up most of the room. The wall across from the door had a giant window that gave Katherine a magnificent view. Next to the window was a table and two chairs. In between the door and bed was a small bathroom.

Katherine sighed as she walked over to the bed. She took out her pack and Sirius's knife from her pocket and placed it on the bedside table to the left of the bed. Katherine was happy that the Snatchers didn't take the two items from her. She supposed that they were too busy looking for her wand to think that anything else could be used as a weapon by her.

Katherine took off her coat and carefully placed it under one of the pillows. She had both hers and Hermione's wands hidden in the coat. But she wasn't ready to use them. She needed to find out what happened at the Manor with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

So, she would wait.

* * *

><p>Katherine sat down on the bed and was debating what to do. She considered getting out one of her books inside her bag, but she was too tired.<p>

Suddenly, Katherine jumped to her feet as a scream pierced the silence of the Manor. It was the scream of a man under torture. Katherine closed her eyes as she realized that Mr. Malfoy and Bellatrix were being punished by Voldemort.

Katherine stood, immobile, eyes closed, jaw and hands clenched for what felt like forever. All she heard were screams that were slowly getting quieter as the owners were getting weaker. Bellatrix, however, was laughing in pleasure because she was being tortured by her Lord.

Then, Katherine heard sobbing and more screaming. Bellatrix wasn't laughing anymore and that unsettled Katherine more than the fact that Bellatrix laughs when being tortured.

Then silence reigned once again. Katherine waited for any sound, but there was nothing. Then a pop of Apparation cracked through silence.

Katherine moved to the door and listened for anything. She heard someone walking up the stairs with heavy footsteps. The door opened and Mrs. Malfoy was swaying, slipping slowly into unconsciousness in front of Katherine.

"Katherine . . ." Mrs. Malfoy mumbled before falling forward.

Katherine caught her easily. Katherine picked Mrs. Malfoy up in her arms and carried her over to the bed. Mrs. Malfoy was unconscious and shaking.

Katherine turned and saw that the door was open. Smiling, she ran over to her pillow, put on her coat, ran to the bedside table, and put her knife and pack in her pocket. She ran to the door, but stopped when Mrs. Malfoy moaned.

Katherine turned around and her eyes fell upon her mother, Narcissa, who was shaking and moaning. Katherine ached to go to her.

Conflict reigned through Katherine. The door was open, she could leave. But Narcissa needed her. But so did Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But Narcissa was family. But Harry is fighting Voldemort.

Katherine turned back around and walked towards the door. Her fingers curled around the handle and she shifted back and forth on the balls of her feet. Narcissa moaned again and Katherine made her decision.

She shut the door and walked back to Narcissa.

Katherine put her knife, pack, and coat back in their respective places. She climbed onto the bed and gathered Narcissa into her arms. Narcissa was shaking, but she had stopped moaning.

"Katherine . . ." Narcissa mumbled, slowly opening her eyes.

"I'm here." Katherine said comfortingly. "I'm here."

"It was horrible." Narcissa moaned, her eyes clamping shut against the pain.

"I won't let him hurt you again." Katherine promised.

"He didn't hurt me." Narcissa said, shaking even harder. "Bella did."

Katherine tensed, and then released the breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"What happened?" Katherine asked gently, not wanting to alarm Narcissa by screaming like she wanted to.

"The Dark Lord said that Bellatrix wasn't being punished . . . because she . . . liked being punished . . . by him." Narcissa said. "So . . . he made her use the Cruciatus Curse on me . . . because hurting her sister . . . hurts her."

Katherine pulled Narcissa in closer and Narcissa turned to where her face was buried in Katherine's chest.

"I won't let her hurt you again." Katherine promised.

"I know." Narcissa smiled with her eyes closed. "You'll save us, your family."

Katherine frowned as Narcissa fell asleep against her. Her family was dead. Her birth parents were dead because of Voldemort's cause. Her foster parents were dead because of Bellatrix. And the Malfoys were dead to her because of their allegiance to Voldemort.

_What family?_ Katherine thought.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Katherine was still awake with Narcissa sleeping soundly against her. Katherine stared up at the bed's canopy, lost in thought.<p>

_Friends or family? _Katherine debated with a frown.

She had always thought that she had chosen a side, that she had chosen her friends. But she just realized that she had never chosen; she had always gone back and forth between the two.

She was in some sort of weird Limbo that was not balanced at all. She was floating between worlds and now she would have to choose.

Katherine could stay at Malfoy Manor and take the Mark and redeem the Malfoys in Voldemort's eyes. Or she could escape and find Harry and defeat Voldemort.

But she didn't know which to do.

She had shut the door. She had the perfect chance to leave since all the occupants of the house had just been tortured and were completely unable to stop her. She could have left without a problem and be with Ron, Harry, and Hermione at this very moment.

But she wasn't.

_Why?_

Because she couldn't leave Narcissa when the latter needed her. Because she couldn't leave the family that had given her so much, that had taken her in, and made sure she had everything she could ever want. The family that she always returned to, even after she had she said she never would.

She had refused to come home with Narcissa at the end of sixth year, yet here she is. She returned and gave up a chance to escape.

_A chance._ Katherine thought, enunciating each syllable, realizing that it was the most important part of that sentence.

If she thought that the door was her only chance to escape, she would have chosen the Malfoys. But she thought of it as one chance to escape, so she had chosen her friends.

Or had she?

Katherine couldn't abandon her friends nor could she leave her family.

_Maybe I could just not choose and go into hiding or something._ Katherine thought, but her heart hurt as she realized that she was lying to herself.

She could never leave when others need her. And she was never one to run from a fight.

Narcissa stirred in her sleep and a moan escaped her lips.

"Katherine . . ." Narcissa murmured sleepily.

"I'm here." Katherine said.

Narcissa nodded and smiled contently before bursting into tears and burying her face in Katherine's shoulder.

_This is what Voldemort does._ Katherine thought. _He tears families apart and makes children comfort their parents._


	50. Chapter 50

**See if you can catch the "Airplane!" reference. Enjoy!**

_Chapter 50_

For the first couple of days at Malfoy Manor, Katherine was left alone with only Narcissa bringing her meals. It was the third day she had been there and she was staring at the moon through her window.

Suddenly, her door flew open and slammed into the wall, creating a loud thud. Katherine turned around only to get tackled by a very skinny body. She hit the floor and grunted in surprise more than pain.

"I didn't know you were here!" An excited, yet hoarse voice said.

Katherine opened her eyes to see Draco's face close to hers. She blinked in surprise, and then matched his smile.

"I am here." Katherine said pleasantly. "Now, get off me."

"Sorry." Draco said as he stood up, and then offered Katherine his hand. Katherine accepted and found herself pulled to her feet and into an embrace. Draco held her like she was a life preserver in a tsunami.

"Draco, I'm being squished." Katherine said.

"I'm sorry." Draco said, but he didn't loosen his grip. He squeezed her. "I'm so glad you're here."

"That makes one of us." Katherine said so quietly that Draco didn't hear.

Draco pulled back, but grabbed Katherine's hand and squeezed it while leading her to the edge of the bed. Katherine flinched, but didn't give any other signs of pain as she sat down.

"When are you going to take the Mark?" Draco asked, looking down at her left forearm like it was a religious icon.

"Um . . ." Katherine started to say, but she decided not to continue because Draco was looking at her like she was his savior.

"Dad says that you're going to become a Death Eater and you're going to make the Dark Lord happy and make the Dark Lord love us again." Draco said, sounding like an excited child.

"Draco . . ." Katherine wanted to tell him the truth, but she didn't want to burst his bubble. He was looking like someone had casted a Cheering Charm on him.

Draco's hand travelled up her arm, her shoulder, her neck, and rested on her cheek. He leaned closer to her, his grey eyes were wide-eyed and innocent.

"We need you." Draco whispered. "I need you."

Then his lips were on hers. Katherine froze with her green eyes wide open. Draco forced her lips to move, but they had already acted on instinct and started kissing Draco back. Her eyes fell shut and her brain just focused on the mechanics of kissing.

After an appropriate amount of time, Katherine pulled away. Draco's hand was still on her cheek and he had moved his other hand to the small of her back. Draco's eyes were shinning with hope and naive optimism . Katherine refused the urge to get away from him. She knew that if she just stayed still and didn't say a word, he would be happy. And his happiness was all she wanted at the moment.

Draco kissed her lips, and then smiled at her as he pulled back. Katherine took her chance.

"Draco, what happened with Harry?" Katherine said softly.

Draco tore away from her and jumped away from the bed in anger. He turned around, fuming, with his hands clenched. He went from being an innocent, hopeful boy to being an angry demon.

"Forget about Potter!" Draco yelled. "You're here now! You're with us now!"

"Draco Malfoy!" Katherine snapped, jumping to her feet. "Don't you dare tell me what to do!"

"Katherine, Potter has lost. Dumbledore is gone." Draco said, jumping between anger and gentleness.

"And you think that we're just going to lay down our wands and give up? The cause for defeating Tom Riddle is greater than one person." Katherine said firmly.

Draco looked at her in disbelief. "You're still fighting? Even though the Dark Lord has taken over."

"I will never stop fighting." Katherine said, lifting her chin, challenging Draco to make her change her mind.

Then a peculiar expression crossed Draco's face. His eyes went blank and his mouth opened slightly. When he turned to look at her, his right eye was twitching.

"But, Katherine, you're going to save us." Draco said in an eerie tone.

"Draco, I'm-"

Draco crossed the space between them and slammed his lips down on hers. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Katherine's arms were tense and her hands were forming into claws, but she restrained from attacking Draco. Yet she was kissing him back.

When he pulled away, he smirked at her, seeming more like than old Draco than he had the entire time they had talked.

"That was congratulations on getting the Mark." Draco turned on his heel and went out of the room.

Katherine picked up a book and flung it at the wall. It fell to the floor and Katherine didn't feel better.

_I can live with being called a hero, but I am no savior._ Katherine thought vexed as she paced around her room. _DAMMIT! I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT SIDE I'M ON!_

* * *

><p>Katherine couldn't sleep. She had spent the last few hours staring at the bed's canopy, attempting to force herself to fall asleep. With a frustrated huff, she got out of bed and took out the scales from Dumbledore.<p>

Katherine frowned in confusion because the scales, instead of the right being higher, the left was. Katherine just shrugged and attributed the scales weird behavior to its history.

Legend says that Caesar Augustus created the scales after he defeated Marc Antony and became the first Roman Emperor. The scales were a symbol that Augustus had balanced the known world and brought forth the Pax Romana.

Hundreds of years later, the Visigoths sacked Rome and the scales were lost until the reign of Charlemagne, the First Christian King. After he died and his land was divided among his sons, the scales disappeared.

It is rumored that King Arthur found the scales while he was searching for the Holy Grail and he gave them to Merlin. Merlin added magical properties to the scales, including a secret compartment that could only be opened by whatever way the owner selected. For example, Merlin was rumored to have his familiar land on the scales in order to open the compartment.

After Merlin's mishap with Morgan Le Fey, the scales were lost.

That was until World War II. The Nazis were rumored to have had many religious artifacts, things that they had found to help them with their cause. After Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, he apparently found the Nazis' storage and discover the scales, along with other artifacts. It is also said that Dumbledore came across a gold box with elegant handles and was disappointed to find nothing in it, except dust.

Katherine looked at the scales and smiled at the fact that she held so much history in her hands. Katherine wondered if, hundreds of years from now, people would tell about how Katherine Peters had once owned the scales. If her name would be listed with Caesar Augustus, Charlemagne, Merlin, and Dumbledore. Or if she'll just be another statistic.

* * *

><p>Katherine eventually fell asleep only to be cruelly woken up by Bellatrix. Katherine grabbed the covers Bellatrix had unceremoniously ripped away. Bellatrix tried to grab the covers again, but Katherine sent a blind kick at her.<p>

"Go away." Katherine mumbled, eyes closed.

"Now, now, Katie, did you think that your visit would just be filled with you lying in your bed the entire time?" Bellatrix asked mockingly.

Katherine turned her head and opened her eyes.

"If you're going to torture me, Auntie, surely it can wait a couple of hours." Katherine said, stifling a yawn.

"I'm going to help you wake up and don't call me Shirley!" Bellatrix snapped. Katherine rolled her eyes.

"It's too early for me to deal with idiots. Go away." Katherine said, waving Bellatrix away.

Bellatrix waved her wand and Katherine went flying into the wall. Katherine hit it with a thud and fell to the floor. Katherine jumped to her feet with her green eyes flashing.

"You really want to go, Bella? I can beat you in my sleep." Katherine sneered.

"Really? Because I think I'm winning our duels." Bellatrix countered.

"Didn't I tell you it was too early to deal with idiots?" Katherine said, mockingly shaking her head. "I'm going to explain this slowly, please keep up. I win first duel. You win second duel. We tie on next duels. Understand?"

Bellatrix slashed her wand and Katherine felt a sting on her cheek. Katherine touched her cheek and came away with red fingers.

Katherine smirked. "Is that the best you can do, Auntie Bella?"

Bellatrix crossed the room and wrapped her fingers around Katherine's neck. Bellatrix squeezed once in warning.

"I can do it, you know; end your life with one move." Bellatrix whispered.

"But if you did, your precious Lord would kill you, but you would like that, wouldn't you? Isn't it your lifelong dream to be killed by him?" Katherine said calmly.

Bellatrix removed her hand. "We're not allowed to kill you, but we can hurt you."

"Good to know." Katherine said, brushing past Bellatrix and going to sit on the bed.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix yelled, using the unfamiliar wand Katherine had seen her using the day Katherine arrived.

Katherine felt the curse come at her, but she was successful at ignoring it. Katherine reached over and grabbed a book and started flipping through the pages. The spell increased in intensity and Katherine's hands clenched around the book.

"Honestly, Auntie, did you not practice at all? Pathetic." Katherine spat.

"So, physical pain doesn't harm you." Bellatrix mused before taking a pause. "Perhaps, this will."

"What will?" Katherine asked, unexplainably amused.

"Your little friends were here." Bellatrix said with an insane smile crossing her face. "There was one, the Mudblood, and she was very fun. You should have heard her scream."

Katherine jumped up, but Bellatrix pushed her back down on the bed and waved her wand, causing ropes to tie Katherine to the front canopy posts.

"Listen up, Katie, I don't like to repeat myself." Bellatrix said, clearly amused at Katherine's attempts to get free and attack her. "The Mudblood was writhing on the floor, crying and screaming. It was soooo much fun, Katie. Do you want to hear the best part, little Gryffindor?"

"Whatever you did to Hermione, I will do to you, but twenty times worse!" Katherine snarled.

"I'm so scared." Bellatrix said sarcastically. "But you didn't answer my question."

"No, I don't want to hear!" Katherine yelled as she tried to get free.

"Too bad, I'm going to tell you anyways. I cut the word 'Mudblood' into her arm, now the entire world will be aware of her filth." Bellatrix said gleefully.

Katherine froze and held her breath. A muscle worked in her jaw. Katherine looked down at her feet for a moment, then she slowly raised her head and clenched her jaw.

"Liar."


	51. Chapter 51

**I have nothing to say other than, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 51<em>

It had been a week or so and Katherine had not had any memorable visits from her aunt. Bellatrix usually walked in and yakked about how Katherine was too late to save her friends from getting harmed. Katherine pretended to ignore her, but every muscle in Katherine's body tensed in anger.

Katherine was resting on her bed when Bellatrix strolled in.

"Hello, worthless." Bellatrix said, standing at the head of the bed.

"Morning, bitch." Katherine said calmly. Something snapped behind Bellatrix's black eyes as she raised her wand and cut Katherine's cheek.

"How _dare_ you call me that!" Bellatrix screeched.

Katherine laughed harshly. "I'm sorry, but I forgot your name."

"That's because you're stupid!" Bellatrix snapped.

Katherine raised her fingers to her chin and she pretended to remember Bellatrix's name.

"I know it starts with an 'A' . . ." Katherine tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm . . . Andrea . . . no . . . um . . . Amelie . . . no, that's not it . . ."

Bellatrix was fuming and about to smash Katherine's head in.

"Oh wait, I've got it! Your name is . . . " Katherine exclaimed, fighting a smirk, her green eyes glinting mischievously. "Andromeda."

Bellatrix stared at Katherine, and then violently jerked up her wand. Katherine flew up and smashed into the canopy and fell back into the bed. Katherine started laughing heartedly.

"Thank you for acquainting me with the canopy, Auntie Bella." Katherine laughed. "I was going to introduce myself, but that's the height of rudeness."

"Shut up!" Bellatrix said, slashing her wand, creating a cut along Katherine's arm.

Katherine laughed even harder. "Does it hurt, little Bella? Does it hurt knowing that she left because of you?"

Bellatrix jerked her wand and Katherine went flying into the wall with the window. Katherine got to her feet and laughed cruelly, green eyes flashing menacingly.

"That she couldn't stand you and your Pureblood crap. Does it hurt?" Katherine asked, smirking.

"Shut up!" Bellatrix said, sending Katherine across the room and into the opposite wall. Katherine quickly got to her feet.

"You know why she left you, right? Why she left you for him?" Katherine asked, eyes glittering with unsuppressed amusement. "Because he loves her more than you ever can."

Bellatrix froze as she remembered what Ted Tonks had said as his last words. Bellatrix looked at Katherine peculiarly.

"How did you hear that?" Bellatrix asked.

"I have my sources." Katherine said evasively.

"Wait!" Bellatrix exclaimed as her black eyes filled with realization. "You were there! You were the one who said the Dark Lord's name!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Katherine said coldly.

"You said it! You are the reason the village was attacked!" Bellatrix cackled as Katherine flinched. "Do their screams haunt you, little Katie?"

"Shut up." Katherine snapped.

"Touched a nerve, did I?" Bellatrix sneered.

"Shut up!" Katherine yelled, clenching her fists.

"Come to think of it, I didn't see you there. Wouldn't you have been fighting?" Bellatrix mocked. "What did you do? Cower behind a bush?"

Something snapped behind Katherine's green eyes. She charged forward with the intention of beating the living daylights out of Bellatrix, but the witch flicked her wand and two metal cuffs flew towards Katherine, wrapped around her wrists, pulling her to the ground, and making her lie down on her back. She aimed a kick at Bellatrix, but two more cuffs wrapped around Katherine's ankles. She could barely move. Bellatrix looked down at her, smirking.

"You're such a coward, little Gryffindor." Bellatrix mocked.

"Untie me and we'll see how much of a coward I am!" Katherine yelled.

"No, no, I'm going to have some fun." Bellatrix laughed, before she straddled Katherine, who looked at her bored. Bellatrix took out a knife and surveyed Katherine's face.

"Is your pathetic knife supposed to scare me?" Katherine taunted.

"No, but what I can do with it will." Bellatrix said menacingly.

Bellatrix brushed her hands over Katherine's cheeks and Katherine winced. Then surprise took over her expression as she realized that she winced, she never winced. Bellatrix noticed and her lips pulled back into a feral snarl.

"You've got a nasty bruise, Katie." Bellatrix said before she slammed the handle of her knife down on Katherine's left cheek bone. Katherine winced again, and then Bellatrix slammed the knife down again. Katherine felt the bone compress and she hissed.

Luckily, Bellatrix grew bored of this.

"Now, what to do?" Bellatrix said to herself as she looked at Katherine's left arm. "Oh! I know!"

Bellatrix leaned down and started to cut into Katherine's arm. Katherine held as still as possible because she knew that jerking would cause worse damage. So, Katherine waited patiently for Bellatrix to be done, but, every once in a while, she would flinch despite her attempts not to.

After an hour or so, Bellatrix blew on her handiwork, causing Katherine to hiss. Bellatrix leaned back and looked expectantly at Katherine, who raised her eyebrow.

"Don't you like it?" Bellatrix trilled, pointing at Katherine's left forearm.

Katherine looked at the underside of her arm and saw red streaking down from a series of cuts on her arm. When she finally focused on her arm, she realized that the cuts made up the Dark Mark. Her breath caught and she stared at her arm with pure hatred.

"Now, even if you don't join us officially, you'll always be a part of us." Bellatrix said before getting off of Katherine and starting for the door. "Bye, little Katie."

"Good-bye, Andy." Katherine said as she leaned her head back to look at an upside down Bellatrix. "You know she prefers Dromeda, right? But you could never call her that, only those who love her are allowed to."

Katherine received a swift, hard kick to the head for her jib. Despite the blackness and stars that swirled around in her head, Katherine knew that the jib was worth it. Totally worth it.

* * *

><p>Katherine woke up when she heard a scream, and then a crash. Katherine craned her neck back to see Narcissa with her hand over her mouth.<p>

"I'm alright." Katherine said sleepily.

Narcissa ran over and banished the cuffs around Katherine's wrists and ankles. Katherine sat up, rubbing her wrists before looking up at Narcissa.

"Thanks." Katherine said.

Narcissa gently touched Katherine's left cheek. Katherine tensed, but held still.

"I can't fix it." Narcissa whispered.

Katherine shrugged. "It's alright. It doesn't really bother me. It's just a dull pain."

Narcissa screamed again, now looking at Katherine's left arm. Katherine quickly pulled it towards her stomach, hiding it, but Narcissa pulled the arm out and stared at the Mark.

"You-you received the Mark?" Narcissa asked shakily, staring at the snake coming out of a skull's mouth.

"No." Katherine said, bitterness edging into her voice. "Your dear sister decided to have some fun. It's just a cut."

Katherine stood up, while pulling Narcissa to her feet. Katherine looked at the mess of food and utensils on the floor in front of the door.

"I was bringing you dinner." Narcissa said by way of explanation.

"Oh good, I love eating off the floor." Katherine said teasingly.

Narcissa rolled her eyes. "I will never understand you."

"You're not supposed to understand me; you're just supposed to put up with me." Katherine smiled.

Narcissa snapped her fingers and a house-elf appeared.

"Bring another plate of food." Narcissa ordered.

"Two plates." Katherine amended.

"I'm eating dinner later." Narcissa said.

"Two plates." Katherine confirmed and the house-elf left, then returned with two trays of food.

"Set it on the table." Narcissa ordered. The house-elf did as he was told, and then turned around.

"Bring the nineteen forty-two bottle of Merlot." Katherine ordered. The house-elf nodded before disappearing and reappearing with the bottle and two glasses. It set them on the table and Narcissa dismissed it.

"Wine?" Narcissa asked.

"I was just tortured by your sister; I need wine." Katherine said as she sat down.

Katherine poured a glass of wine for Narcissa first, and then for herself. Then they started eating, both taking on identical proper postures. Once they finished, Katherine leaned back in her chair, swirling the red wine in her glass.

"Where have you been?" Narcissa asked, breaking the silence.

"Around." Katherine answered evasively.

Narcissa stared at Katherine, who stared defiantly back. Once Narcissa realized that she couldn't guilt Katherine into telling her anything, she sighed and lowered her gaze.

"You were at Godric's Hollow." Narcissa said.

"Yes." Katherine replied carefully.

"So was Potter." Narcissa said. Surprise crossed Katherine's face before she controlled it.

"I see." Katherine said cautiously.

"You were at Grimmauld Place that night. Why?" Narcissa asked.

"I needed to sleep somewhere with a bed." Katherine answered.

"Look," Narcissa said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry about Bella blasting you off the family tree."

Katherine stared at Narcissa for a moment in confusion before she remembered blasting herself off of the tapestry. Then Katherine started laughing uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" A bemused Narcissa asked.

"Bellatrix didn't blast me off the tapestry." Katherine continued laughing. "I did."

"What?" Narcissa exclaimed, jumping to her feet, her face full of so much anger that Katherine stopped laughing immediately.

"I had been meaning to do that for a long time." Katherine said, searching Narcissa's face for a clue as to why she was so angry.

Narcissa seemed to be struggling to say something. Her hands were clenched and her face was slowly getting red. Katherine noticed that it reminded her of a child about to have a tantrum.

"Why?" Narcissa asked through clenched teeth.

"I don't want to be mistaken as a Death Eater." Katherine said.

"You do realize what happens when you're taken off the family tree, right?" Narcissa asked, a glint in her eye.

"It's just a painting." Katherine answered.

"You are no longer able to access the power bestowed upon being part of the Pureblood lines." Narcissa said.

"Like what?" Katherine asked, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrow.

"Access to the Malfoy vault, ability to walk through wards, commanding house-elves . . ." Narcissa listed.

"Narcissa," Katherine said with a slight laugh. "In case you didn't notice, but I did command a house-elf."

Narcissa stared at her, fuming. Then Narcissa made a disgusted noise and turned on her heel, heading for the door.

"Narcissa, wait." Katherine said, standing up.

Narcissa continued walking, ignoring Katherine.

"Please, listen to me." Katherine said.

Narcissa threw open the door.

"Mother, please!" Katherine cried.

Narcissa froze and turned around with a peculiar expression on her face. Her hand slowly rose to her mouth, which was wide open.

"You've never called me mother." Narcissa whispered.

Katherine's face turned into the one like Narcissa's. She realized that she had never called Narcissa or Mrs. Peters mother.

Narcissa shut the door and walked over to Katherine, who looked up into blue eyes.

"I took myself off because I didn't want to be on a tapestry with most of those _people._" Katherine said quietly.

"I understand." Narcissa said so quietly that Katherine almost didn't hear.

"And, besides, it's just a painting."


	52. Chapter 52

_Chapter 52_

Katherine had been left alone for a couple of days with only Narcissa coming in to share meals. Katherine and Narcissa were treating each other differently after the mother thing. Katherine did not go off about Death Eaters, and, in return, Narcissa didn't say anything about Harry.

Katherine was sitting on the edge of her bed and reading a book. Suddenly, the door flew open. Katherine looked up to see Narcissa and Bellatrix, who looked weirdly amused.

"Hello." Katherine said carefully.

"Guess what!" Bellatrix sang.

"What?" Katherine asked, narrowing her eyes.

"We're having a party tonight and you're coming." Narcissa said.

"So?" Katherine asked.

"So, we're going to help you get ready." Bellatrix smiled creepily.

Katherine's right eye twitched.

"No thanks." Katherine replied pleasantly, returning to her book before it was rudely banished from her hands.

"You don't have a choice." Bellatrix snarled.

"The Dark Lord requested your presence." Narcissa added quietly.

"Well then, I guess that I have a _headache_ and cannot join you this evening." Katherine said, making a quotations sign when she said headache.

"I'll give you a headache!" Bellatrix snarled, raising her wand, but stopped by Narcissa.

"Katherine, please." Narcissa said, putting her hands to her temples.

"Fine." Katherine breathed, annoyed.

Katherine spent the next five hours being washed, dressed, brushed, painted, and laughed at by the Black sisters. Though the laughing was mostly from Bellatrix, who would pick out the most unflattering dresses for Katherine to try on.

Finally, Bellatrix and Narcissa finished playing dress-up with Katherine. Narcissa pulled Katherine in front of the bathroom mirror so that she and Bellatrix could admire their handiwork. Katherine was dressed in a knee length, strapless emerald green dress. Her face was free of makeup, much to Katherine's happiness.

"Can't I have something with sleeves?" Katherine asked as she stared down at her left arm in disgust. The Dark Mark cut had grown a bright red and was visible from a block away.

"No, no, no, Little Katie." Bellatrix said, mockingly patting Katherine's head. "Everyone will want to see it."

"It needs one more thing." Narcissa said. She opened a jewelry box on the vanity and pulled out the heirloom necklace Katherine had worn to the Yule Ball. Gently, Narcissa put the necklace around Katherine's neck.

Narcissa picked up Katherine's right hand and moved to take off Cedric's ring from Katherine's ring finger. Katherine jerked her hand back and covered the gold and black ring with her other hand.

"That doesn't come off." Katherine said firmly.

"Why not?" Bellatrix asked mockingly innocently.

Katherine turned her head and faced Bellatrix with a piercing stare.

"Because it doesn't." Katherine snapped.

Bellatrix was about to say something, but Narcissa cut across her. "Bella, we should go get ready."

Bellatrix nodded and started to walk out of the bathroom with her younger sister trailing behind her. Katherine grabbed Narcissa's wrist and both sisters stopped.

"Narcissa, I need to speak with you." Katherine said before looking at Bellatrix. "Alone."

Bellatrix shrugged and went out the bathroom. Katherine waited until she heard the door to the room open and close.

"Narcissa, what I'm about to say is very important." Katherine said seriously. "If Bellatrix asks you anything about me, you must answer her honestly."

"What? Why?" Narcissa asked distraught and bemused.

"I don't want to be the cause of a rift between you and her. And besides, she can't hurt me." Katherine said, unconsciously drawing herself up.

"Are you sure?" Narcissa asked.

"Of course." Katherine said with a small, cocky smile.

* * *

><p>An hour later, Katherine found herself pulled out into the hall to see Draco in a black suit with a green tie waiting for her. Draco offered her his arm, which she accepted, while Bellatrix tapped her foot impatiently.<p>

"You don't have to wait, you know." Draco said to Bellatrix.

"I'm here to make sure she doesn't escape." Bellatrix said, jerking her thumb in Katherine's direction.

"I've got my own personal guard!" Katherine exclaimed jokingly. "First, I was named Undesirable Number Three and now this! Tommy really knows how to flatter a girl!"

"Shut up before I hex you into next year." Bellatrix said, pointing the unfamiliar wand at her.

"Oooo! I've always wanted to see next year!" Katherine answered, feigning excitement.

"We're going to be late." Draco interjected.

"And we don't want to keep the Dark Lord waiting." Bellatrix added.

"Tommy's going to be there?" Katherine asked as her green eyes glinted mischievously. "This will be fun."

Bellatrix rolled her eyes impatiently and pushed Katherine and Draco forward. The teens with their aunt behind them made their way to the drawing room. They walked in to see about twelve Death Eaters dressed in black robes and Narcissa in a corner on Lucius's arm. Draco walked Katherine over to his parents, while Bellatrix went to go stand next to her husband.

Voldemort walked in and ushered everyone into the dining room. Someone grabbed Katherine's arm and she was pulled away from the Malfoys. She turned around to see the man that killed Dumbledore. Her hand went for her wand that wasn't there because it was in her coat along with Hermione's, underneath her pillow, in her room.

"I know." Snape said quietly.

"Know what?" Katherine whispered as the last few people went through the door.

"I know." Snape reiterated, and then Katherine realized what he was talking about.

"Oh." Katherine said.

"Yes, now, you need to come to Hogwarts once you get out of here." Snape said before leading both of them into the dining room. Draco spotted Katherine and waved her over to him.

The long table that had been there during Katherine's arrival was still there, set for all the people attending the dinner. Voldemort sat at the head with Bellatrix on his right, and, much to her annoyance, Katherine on his left. Draco sat next to Katherine and Rodolphus Lestrange sat across from him. Narcissa and Lucius were at the other end of the table.

Katherine sat straight backed, adopting the proper posture for a Pureblood lady. Her right hand reached under the table and gripped Draco's left in attempt to keep her composure. Draco squeezed her hand, but Katherine could feel him trembling.

"Interesting cut, Miss Peters." Voldemort commented. Katherine grinded her teeth as she saw everyone swivel their heads to see her Dark Mark cut. Katherine sighed in resignation and held out her arm for all to see.

"What happened to your face, Peters?" A man that Katherine recognized as Antonin Dolohov, the man who almost killed Hermione, asked. He was referring to the bruise on her left cheek bone, which was compressed.

"It saw yours and decided that eating itself was preferable to looking at you." Katherine answered calmly as she served herself a serving of baby carrots.

"Excuse me!" Dolohov cried out, jumping to his feet as he pulled out his wand. Katherine glanced at it, and then poured herself a glass of wine.

"Oh, sit down. You're embarrassing yourself." Katherine said as calmly as she had before.

"Sit down, Dolohov. . . . She is not to be harmed." Voldemort ordered.

Katherine picked up her wine glass and smirked into her wine.

_Not to be harmed, huh? I'm going to have fun._ Katherine thought mischievously.

"I hate to inform you, Tommy, but one of your followers has been disobeying you." Katherine stage whispered. Everyone leaned forward, except Voldemort, who's nostrils flared. "Bellatrix has disobeyed you because she has harmed me."

Katherine raised her hand to cover her mouth as she watched Bellatrix's black eyes widen in horror as Voldemort turned his head to look at Bellatrix .

"M-my Lord, I-I would n-never disobey y-you." Bellatrix stuttered in fear.

Katherine couldn't hold the laughter in any longer. She started laughing heartily and loudly. When she stopped, she saw nothing, but fury in Bellatrix's eyes. Katherine knew that she was going to pay for that later.

"I'll deal with you later, Bella." Voldemort promised.

Katherine was about to open her mouth to say more, but a Silencing Charm was casted on her. Katherine turned to glare at Draco, who was staring at the ceiling, feigning innocence. Once dinner was over, Voldemort stood up.

"Please join me in the drawing room." He ordered as he strode out of the room.

Draco released Katherine from the Silencing Charm as the both of them went into the drawing room. The Death Eaters, Katherine, and Narcissa arranged themselves along the walls of the rooms, creating a circle around Voldemort.

"My Lord, the entertainment is ready." A Death Eater said.

"Excellent. I am sure that you _all_ will enjoy this." Voldemort said, his scarlet eyes locking on Katherine's green ones.

Two Death Eaters left the room and returned with two people. The people had black hoods over their heads and their hands were bound tightly behind their backs. Their clothes were tattered and covered in blood.

The Death Eaters pushed the people to their knees before Voldemort, to where the people were facing Katherine. On Voldemort's signal, the Death Eaters unceremoniously ripped the hoods off of the people.

Katherine felt her stomach tighten and her heart stop. Before her, bruised and bloody, were the Peters. The people she thought were dead. They stared at her in disbelief and Katherine quickly shook herself into action. She ran to them, ignoring the Death Eaters around them and not noticing that they tightened the circle.

Katherine fell to her knees before her parents' friends. Mr. Peters looked at her through one eye since the other one was swollen. Mrs. Peters opened her mouth, trying to say something, but only a trickle of blood came out.

"I thought you were dead." Katherine whispered.

"We thought you were." Mr. Peters said in a hoarse voice.

"I'll get you out of this." Katherine promised before she stood up, facing Voldemort, who had moved back into the circle.

Katherine stood taller and stared down Voldemort. He lazily returned her gaze.

"Let them go." Katherine commanded.

"Why?" Voldemort asked, cocking his head as he looked at her.

"Because I said so." Katherine said, raising her chin.

The Death Eaters laughed at her. Katherine grinded her teeth in anger.

"_Crucio!_" One of the Death Eaters said, his wand pointed at Mrs. Peters.

Katherine jumped in between the spell and Mrs. Peters. The Cruciatus Curse hit her and Katherine almost laughed at how minimal the pain was. It felt like a pin prick. Katherine easily threw it off, and then she smirked at the Death Eater.

"Weak." She spat.

Katherine heard another spell from behind her aimed at the Peters. Katherine jumped and took the full force of the spell. It slashed her left shoulder, but Katherine refused to fall. More spells started flying at the Peters and Katherine took each of them.

Katherine's dress was basically strips of green cloth at this point. She was bleeding and swaying on her feet. Katherine turned and looked at the people who raised her. They looked at her with understanding, as if they thought she had given up.

Katherine straightened, filling with resolve to save them. Katherine turned and found herself face-to-face with a red jet of light. She tried dodging it, but it hit her. She fell to the ground, fighting unconsciousness long enough to look at the Peters.

"You'll be fine." She slurred before the blackness conquered her.

* * *

><p>When Katherine woke up, she felt sticky. As she moved into a sitting position, she saw that she was nearly covered in blood. Once the dizziness left her, Katherine looked around. The room was illuminated by the moon and Katherine saw that she was alone.<p>

_The Peters!_ Katherine thought as she jumped to her feet. She searched around the room frantically, hoping that she did not see them because if they were not there, that meant that they got away.

But then her eyes fell upon them. The moon light reflected in the puddles of blood underneath the Peters. Katherine ran to them and fell to her knees at Mrs. Peters's head. Katherine felt for a pulse, but jerked her hand back in surprise at the coldness of Mrs. Peters's body. Katherine touched Mr. Peters and hung her head in despair when she felt how cold he was.

They were dead because of her. Voldemort killed them because she taunted him, because she refused him. Katherine stroked her dead foster mother's cheek and moaned as realized that she failed to keep her promise again.

She promised to keep them safe. She promised that everything would be fine. But they were tortured for months and killed because of her.

Katherine's hands moved to grip her own hair as she moaned and groaned. Tears started streaming down her face, mixing with the blood on her face.

Katherine heard light footsteps, but she didn't bother to look to see who it was. Lightly, a hand placed itself on her shoulder. Then she was turned around into someone's embrace. She looked up and saw Draco looking at her sadly.

She sobbed and moved head into the crook of Draco's neck. He held her as she cried, even though tears were silently sliding down his face.

The two seventeen year olds sat like that for a long time. They held each other as they cried, one over the death of her foster parents, the other for the realization that his sister would not join the Dark Lord after this. The Malfoys were doomed.

"Katherine, c'mon." Draco said, his voice thick with tears. "We need to sleep."

Katherine nodded absently. Draco pulled both of them up and led Katherine to her prison room. Once they were inside, Katherine excused herself to the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Meticulously, Katherine washed the blood away. She could do nothing, but bandage up her cuts. Once she removed the dress-turned-rags and put on new clothes, she walked back into her room to see Draco lounging on the bed.

He slowly got up and walked to where he was in front of her. He brushed away the tears on her right cheek; he refused to touch the left one because of her injury. His hand slid down her arm and grabbed her right hand.

Gently, he pulled her towards the bed and under the covers. Katherine snuggled into his side with his arms wrapped around her. Soon, they both fell asleep.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Narcissa Malfoy walked into her daughter's prison room. She wasn't surprised to see Draco and Katherine asleep and wrapped up in each others' arms. When Bellatrix hit Katherine with the Stunner, and then killed the Muggles, Draco stayed in the room to wait for Katherine to return to consciousness.<p>

Narcissa walked over to the left side of the bed, where Katherine sleeping. Narcissa sat down on the bed and looked at Katherine. Her daughter was bruised, cut, and haggard. Things one never noticed when Katherine was awake because she carried herself with a great amount of confidence. When she was asleep, though, she was not focused on maintaining that confidence.

Narcissa remembered when she first met Katherine.

_Narcissa held her five year old son's hand as they walked to the local park. Severus had said that it was good for Draco to learn how to behave around Muggles if the Malfoys were to prove that they had nothing to do with You-Know-Who._

_ Narcissa let her son go once they reached the park and she sat down on a park bench occupied by a young woman. Narcissa kept her eyes on Draco, ready to whisk him away if he started having a tantrum and started using magic._

_ Draco played by himself for a little while before he started playing with a girl who looked to be about his age. They moved away from the other children and were laughing about something._

_ Then Draco picked up a flower and turned the petals black. Narcissa rose to her feet, ready to grab Draco. But then the girl took the flower from the blond haired boy and turned the petals multicolored. Narcissa's brow furrowed in confusion._

_ "Is that your son?" The woman sitting on the park bench._

_ "Yes." Narcissa replied._

_ "That's my foster daughter." The woman answered. "Are you a witch?"_

_ "Yes. Are you?" Narcissa asked._

_ "No, but my friend was. She's Katherine's mother." The woman said, looking at the young girl._

_ Narcissa nodded, but then asked the woman if she could keep Katherine for the afternoon, for a play-date with Draco. Narcissa did not know why she was asking permission -let alone talking- to a Muggle, but she was. _

Over the years, Narcissa grew to love Katherine. She loved how Katherine could brighten up a room with a single smile. She loved how Katherine spent most of her time laughing instead of sulking about some teenage problem or another.

And when Katherine lost Cedric Diggory, Narcissa realized how much she loved her daughter. Narcissa wanted nothing more than to make Katherine smile again. If Narcissa could, she would have brought Cedric Diggory back to life for her daughter.

Katherine moaned in her sleep as she shifted her position. Narcissa assumed Katherine moaned because of the soreness she was feeling from her wounds. Narcissa stroked Katherine's unhurt cheek and Katherine smiled in her sleep.

Narcissa smiled, too because she was filled with hope. Hope that her daughter would make the Malfoys great again. Hope that she would save them. And Narcissa knew this with every fiber of her being; Katherine would make everything better.


	53. Chapter 53

_Chapter 53_

A few days later, Katherine found herself standing in front of the window of her room. She was looking outside and fondly remembering the adventures she and Draco had gone on when they were younger. The door opened and Katherine quickly wiped a stray tear away before turning around.

Bellatrix stood in the open doorway, looking very pleased with herself for some reason. She smiled predatorily at Katherine.

"I have a special surprise for you, Katie." Bellatrix sang before she pulled someone into the room.

Katherine's stomach dropped as she watched a terrified Hermione being pushed into the room by Bellatrix. Katherine quickly gained control over herself.

"Let her go." Katherine commanded.

Bellatrix looked at Hermione, and then smiled at Katherine.

"Nah, I don't think so." Bellatrix answered.

"I'm warning you." Katherine growled, taking a step closer.

"Oh? And what are you going to do, little Gryffindor?" Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine ran forward, swinging her arm at Bellatrix's face. But Bellatrix lazily waved her wand and tossed Katherine into the wall next to the closed door. Katherine rolled upwards to her feet, but found chains conjured out of thin air attaching themselves to her wrists and ankles. The chains were long enough for Katherine to come within an inch of Hermione.

"Are you ready for the show, Katie?" Bellatrix asked, cackling.

"Let her go!" Katherine yelled.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix said, pointing her wand at Hermione, who dropped to the floor, shrieking.

Katherine struggled against the chains to stop Bellatrix from hurting Hermione, but it was not working. Hermione was screaming and thrashing about.

"Hermione! Hermione! Listen to me! Everything's going to be fine!" Katherine yelled, while still struggling against the chains.

"Really, Katie? Really? Are you still making promises? Don't you realize that you can't keep them?" Bellatrix cackled.

"Shut up!" Katherine yelled.

Bellatrix released the curse on Hermione, who rolled her head to look at Katherine. Hermione's brown eyes were filling with tears that started streaming down her cheeks.

"Hermione, I'm here. Don't worry." Katherine whispered, willing herself to believe it.

"What did I tell you about making promises, Katie?" Bellatrix mockingly scolded.

"To only make promises I can keep!" Katherine answered before spitting, "Fine! I promise to kick your fat, ugly arse to hell and back! You stupid bitch!"

"You're going to pay for that one." Bellatrix said menacingly.

Bellatrix slashed her wand and cut Hermione on the stomach. Blood started to stream out of the wound and Hermione's hands darted to it. Soon, they became covered in her own blood. Katherine kicked and thrashed in an attempt to get free and help Hermione.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix screamed.

Hermione screamed even louder and started having spasms. She rolled and thrashed sporadically as if she was on fire. Her screams cut Katherine to the core and filled her with guilt.

"LET HER GO!" Katherine bellowed in fury.

"What?" Bellatrix said, cupping her ear. "_Crucio_ her some more? Okay, if you say so."

Bellatrix shouted the Cruciatus Curse again and Hermione's screams turned bloodcurdling. Katherine doubled her efforts, but despair started to seep into her. She was failing to keep her promises for the third time.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Katherine screamed at Bellatrix.

"Oh, I'm so scared." Bellatrix said sarcastically as she increased the power of the spell until Hermione's screams became fainter and fainter. Then Bellatrix released the spell and walked over to Katherine, who was leaning as far as the chains would allow her. She was within an inch of Hermione. If only she could just reach her.

Bellatrix grabbed Katherine's chin and forced her to look up into Bellatrix's eyes. Bellatrix smirked at the storms raging in Katherine's green eyes.

"You failed." Bellatrix smirked. "You failed again."

Bellatrix let go of Katherine and stepped towards the door. She turned around and made the chains holding Katherine disappear. Katherine fell to her knees next to Hermione. Katherine made to pull Hermione into her arms, but she felt nothing. Katherine looked and saw that Hermione was gone.

Then Bellatrix was laughing hard. Katherine turned to see Bellatrix clutching her side.

"It's called an echo, Katie." Bellatrix explained. "And that's what you get for making the Dark Lord pissed at me."

Bellatrix went through the doorway and shut the door at the moment Katherine dove for her. Katherine started banging her hands against the door.

"DAMMIT, BELLATRIX! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!" Katherine yelled in pure fury.

* * *

><p>A week later, Katherine was again in front of the window, looking out upon the lawn that had not been taken care of for months. For a week, Katherine had let her walls down and bathed in her emotions. She allowed herself to be consumed by fury.<p>

She focused all of her energy on planning how to kill Bellatrix. Her rage consumed her and filled her with brutal, barbaric ideas on how to destroy Bellatrix. Murderous fire controlled her and filled her with revenge.

The door to her room opened, but Katherine did not turn around. She went through the steps in her head on how she was going to kill Bellatrix.

_Move closer. Grab wand. Slash off head. No, wait, that's too merciful for the killer of Sirius and the Peters._ Katherine thought, closing and opening her eyes as she readied herself.

A chair scraped the floor behind her, and then someone cleared their throat. Katherine turned and her jaw dropped in disbelief.

Sitting in the chair was a dark haired boy with grey eyes. Katherine's brain started fizzling as she tried to figure out what was happening.

_No, it couldn't be. It can't be._ Katherine thought. _Oh please, let it be._

"Ekaterina," He smiled.

_It's him!_ Katherine yelled mentally in pure happiness.

Voldemort must have given him a Draught of Living Death, and then took him away. He was captured for three years and replaced by a wax figure. But now he's here.

"Don't stand there gawking; come and kiss me." He smiled, spreading his arms wide.

"Oh, Cedric!" Katherine exclaimed, breaking out into the smile that she hadn't smiled since fourth year.

She ran towards him with the intention of kissing him nonstop. She wrapped her arms around him and held air. She opened her eyes to see that he was gone. That he had never been there.

Cackling near the door made Katherine snap her head up. Bellatrix was laughing even harder than she had a week before.

"I can't believe you fell for that again!" Bellatrix laughed.

Katherine stood up and started to march menacingly towards Bellatrix. The demented witch stopped laughing and raised her wand.

"Say your good-byes." Katherine whispered snarling.

"I'm not scared of you." Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"You will be." Katherine said, taking a step closer.

Bellatrix waved her wand and Katherine's legs were swept out from under her. She hit the floor and Bellatrix casted the Cruciatus Curse on her. With her mental walls down, there was no way she could detach and barricade herself from the pain.

Her head jerked to the side as she started to get to her feet. As she rose up, she looked at Bellatrix with green eyes filled with fires and lightning strikes. Her body jerked again before she threw off the curse.

Katherine launched herself at her aunt, smashing Bellatrix into the wall. Then Katherine allowed her fury to consume her. She felt fire course through her, controlling her limbs. Her fists flew, connecting with any part of Bellatrix she could reach. She completely forgot about her plan to grab Bellatrix's wand; she just wanted to do as much damage as possible.

Bellatrix's hand launched out and wrapped around Katherine's throat. Bellatrix pulled both of them to their feet and snarled in Katherine's face. Then Bellatrix threw Katherine onto the bed. Katherine jumped up and grabbed Sirius's knife from the bedside table.

She smirked as the knife changed into a thick sword meant for cleaving. There was no finesse to this weapon. There was no beauty in the use of this weapon. Its sole purpose was to destroy.

Bellatrix's black eyes widened at the sight of the sword. As Katherine jumped forward, Bellatrix flicked her wand, sending Katherine back on to the bed. Katherine got to her feet as Bellatrix went through the door. As the door closed, Katherine jammed the sword three inches into the door.

The fire consumed her again and she saw everything in a furious red. Her right hand clenched around the sword hilt and her entire body shook with anger. With a roar of pure rage, Katherine used the sword to smash the columns holding up the bed's canopy. The canopy crashed on to the bed and the sword fell from Katherine's hand, clattering to the floor before it changed back into the small pocketknife.

Then Katherine fell to her knees, splinters from the columns jabbing her. She stared at the mess she created externally and internally. Then she fell on her side and curled up into a ball.

She clamped her hands above her ears and shook like someone having a seizure. Tears poured down her face. She had let her emotions free and allowed herself to feel happiness that she had not felt since she was with Cedric.

She was reliving every memory, every pain. She shook even harder as she screamed. This was why she never let the walls down. This was why she refused to feel the full force of her emotions.

Because of her screaming and her covering her ears, she did not hear the door open and close. But she felt someone roll her over and she felt someone place her head in that person's lap.

"Katherine, Katherine, it's alright." A woman's voice said soothingly.

Katherine opened her eyes for a moment to see Narcissa holding her. Katherine shut her eyes and screamed even louder as she relived the memory of seeing Cedric dead.

"Katherine, please." Narcissa pleaded, her voice thick with tears of her own.

Katherine stopped screaming and looked at Narcissa, who silently gasped in horror at the look of defeat present in Katherine's eyes. Defeat was something she had never seen her daughter succumb to, even in the first few weeks after Cedric Diggory's death.

"I can't take it anymore." Katherine whispered in a voice so low Narcissa almost didn't hear it. "I thought I was strong, but I'm not. . . . I'm not."

"Katherine, you are strong." Narcissa said.

"No, I'm not." Katherine said, raising her right hand so she could look at Cedric's ring. "Not when it comes to losing him."


	54. Chapter 54

_Chapter 54_

Katherine had decided to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. She now slept with her coat on, her backpack and knife in her pocket, and she always kept her cloak at her side.

At the present moment, Katherine was about to fall asleep for an afternoon nap with her wand in her right sleeve. Ready to be used at a moment's notice. The door opened, Katherine opened her eyes, and made eye contact with the intruder. Katherine held the eye contact with Voldemort for a moment before pretending to fall back asleep.

She knew that his patience would not last long and she was not disappointed. Less than a minute later, Voldemort cleared his throat violently.

"Stop pretending, Miss Peters. I have something I wish to discuss with you." Voldemort commanded.

Katherine opened her eyes and yawned. She watched Voldemort walk over to the window, his back to her. Katherine threw the covers off and silently got off the bed. Voldemort did not turn around at all, even though Katherine was about two and a half yards behind him.

"I have spent the last month researching your family." Voldemort said, still not turning around. "I must say, you've covered your tracks well. Taking a Muggle last name was very smart . . . I was mislead for about two weeks."

Katherine felt her heart stop. He couldn't know. It was impossible. There was no way that he could know.

Katherine quietly let her wand fall into her hand. Carefully, she raised her arm and prepared to cast a spell.

"So, imagine my surprise when I found out that your parents were-"

"_RICTUSEMPRA!_" Katherine yelled.

Voldemort didn't fully succumb to the spell, but it made him move away from the window. Katherine ran forward, exploding the window, and then jumping through it.

"_Accio Nimbus Two Thousand and One!_" Katherine shouted as she was falling from the window.

Draco's broom flew towards her. She grabbed it, and flew in the direction of the gates.

"GET HER!" Voldemort yelled from her room.

Katherine kept flying and prepared herself to go through the wards. She heard the front door slam open and she looked over her shoulder to see Bellatrix running after her. But then Katherine focused all her attention on the wards because last time it was complete hell to go through them.

Bellatrix fired spells at Katherine, who dodged them, but only barely; she felt the heat of ever bolt as it passed her. The hedges were getting closer and Katherine held her breath as she entered the wards.

_This is weird._ She thought in confusion.

The wards were there, but she hardly felt them. It wasn't like last time when she felt like she was being electrocuted. This time it felt like that Death Eater's pathetic attempt at a Cruciatus Curse. It felt like nothing.

Once Katherine was through the wards and past the Anti-Apparation ward, she turned around. She hovered on the broom and watched as Bellatrix struggled to open the front gate.

"Well, it's been real, it's been fun, but I can't say that it's been real fun." Katherine said laughingly to Bellatrix.

Katherine raised her hand and mockingly waved at Bellatrix, who shrieked in frustration. Katherine then jumped off the broom and Apparated away before she hit the ground.

She landed face-first on a sandy beach at sunset. A pair of hands grabbed her and helped her up. Once she was on her feet, she looked into the face of Bill Weasley. Fleur was behind him and carrying a picnic basket.

"Hey." Katherine said.

"Hey." Bill said. "What are you doing here?"

Katherine shrugged. "It was the first place I thought of."

"We better go inzide." Fleur said, taking her husband's arm and smiling at Katherine.

The three got inside and Fleur immediately grabbed Katherine's arm and pulled her into the living room and pushed her onto the couch. Fleur sat down next to Katherine and trapped the seventeen year old's chin in her hand.

"Where 'ave you been?" Fleur asked.

"Around." Katherine answered.

"Ron said they saw you at Lovegood's 'ouse, but that waz a month ago. Zo, where 'ave you been?" Fleur said forcefully.

"A month?" Katherine exclaimed in surprise. _It felt like an eternity._

"Katherine." Fleur snapped.

"You look as if you've been through awful battles for the past month." Bill said, his eyes trained on the bruise on Katherine's injured cheek.

"Try torture." Katherine said, sneakily adjusting the left sleeve of her coat so that it completely covered her Dark Mark scar.

"What?" Fleur exclaimed, dropping her hand from Katherine's chin.

Katherine sighed and hung her head. She didn't want anyone to know about Malfoy Manor. If people knew what happened to her, they would treat her with pity. And pity was something she could not stand.

"Katherine," Fleur said gently.

"Nothing." Katherine said, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it."

"Katherine," Fleur said as she took Katherine's hand. Katherine shook her head again before jerking it up, a smile placed upon it.

"So, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were here. Where are they now?" Katherine asked.

Fleur was startled by the subject change, but she didn't press Katherine.

"They left early this morning to Gringotts." Fleur answered.

"Gringotts?" Katherine repeated in surprise.

"I overheard them talking about something in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault." Bill said.

Katherine thought for a moment about what they would need from Bellatrix's vault. Surely there could not be a Horcrux in Bellatrix's vault. Well, she guessed that she would have to check.

Katherine stood up and started going for the door, but Bill stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Bill asked.

"Gringotts." Katherine said as she went through the door. She walked down the beach until she reached the Apparition point. She turned and landed in Diagon Alley. She pulled on her cloak and fixed the hood so that her face was hidden.

Katherine walked until she reached Gringotts, which had a crowd of people around it. She looked up to see that the great white dome of the bank was gone and pieces of it littered on the ground. She walked until she reached the crowd. She found a man who was alone and looked like he would tell her what she wanted to know.

"What happened?" Katherine asked him.

"A dragon burst out of the bank this morning!" He said excitedly.

"A dragon?" Katherine repeated in disbelief.

"I sees him, miss! He was carryin' three people on his back!" The man said, waving his arms around excitedly.

"Who?" Katherine asked.

"I don't know, miss. They were two boys and a girl. One of the boys had red hair, though." The man said.

_It could be Harry, Ron, and Hermione._

"What direction are they headed in?" Katherine asked, concealing her excitement.

"North."

North. That meant that they could be heading to Hogwarts. Katherine remembered what Snape had told her at the Death Eater dinner party. That she had to go to Hogwarts.

"Thank you." Katherine said as she sneakily slid two Galleons into the man's hand. "And I wasn't here."

He nodded and Katherine turned on her heel and Apparated to Hogsmeade at dusk. The alarms went off and Katherine wasn't quick enough to hide herself. Burly men walked out of Three Broomsticks and trained their wands on her. Katherine raised herself up and adopted a look of contempt.

"Put your wands away." She commanded with the tone of someone who was never refused.

"You're under arrest." One of the men said, though a little hesitantly.

"Excuse me." She snarled. "Do you know who I am?"

The men looked uncomfortable, but they didn't lower their wands. Katherine sighed annoyed and started to roll her left sleeve up. The men saw what she was doing and immediately lowered their wands and started comically bowing to her. Katherine stopped rolling up her sleeve once it barely showed the tail of the Dark Mark scar and she left it there.

"So sorry, m'lady. It's just that the alarms went off only a few moments ago." One of the Death Eaters said hastily.

"Who set off the alarms?" Katherine asked contemptuously.

"We don't know, but we suspect that it was Potter." Another man said.

"I'll deal with him then. Alone." Katherine said.

"We understand, m'lady." Another man said as they all, but ran, back into Three Broomsticks.

Katherine breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at her left arm.

"Thank you, Bella." She muttered, her green eyes glinting in amusement.


	55. Chapter 55

**I would like to know what everyone thought of Katherine being on her own with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But you can do that after you read this chapter. So, enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 55<em>

Katherine walked through Hogsmeade and stopped at Hog's Head. She knew that Aberforth would be able to help her get into Hogwarts. Hog's Head was deserted when she walked in, but she heard muffled voices in the room that Aberforth had hid Ginny in last time Katherine came.

Katherine placed her ear against the door to the room and she heard Hermione's voice. A smile broke out on her face once she realized that she was going to be with her friends after months. She stepped back and started doing a silly happy dance.

Then Katherine opened the door and made sure that she made noise on every step so that her friends would not be caught by surprise. She heard the voices stop talking, but she continued thundering down the steps.

As Katherine reached the base of the stairs, she dropped to the ground as red jets of light exploded over her head. Katherine rolled into a kneeling position and produced a shield to block Stunners coming at her from four different directions.

"HEY! HEY!" Katherine shouted as she felt her shield start to fall.

A Stunner got through her shield, illuminated her face, but missed her.

"Wait! Stop!" Hermione shouted. The Stunners stopped flying and Katherine let her shield down.

"You really know how to welcome a person." Katherine said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hermione's face broke out into a smile and Katherine's matched hers. Harry and Ron stepped out from where they were hiding and smiled at Katherine. Aberforth stepped out and watched the teenagers.

"Katherine," Hermione smiled.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Hug me." Katherine said smiling as she stretched her arms out. The action caused her left sleeve, which she never rolled back down, to pull up, revealing more of the snake tail.

"Hermione, stop!" Ron commanded, his wand pointed straight at Katherine.

Hermione stopped halfway between Katherine and Ron, who moved to stand next to Hermione.

"Ron?" Harry asked.

"Her arm." Ron answered, jaw clenched.

Harry looked at her left arm, and then pointed his wand at Katherine.

"Harry, come on. I'm not a Death Eater." Katherine said. "Do you honestly believe that I am?"

"We haven't seen you for months, Katherine. Things can change." Ron said fiercely.

"I have no reason to join them!" Katherine shot.

"You're on great terms with the Malfoys." Ron countered.

"And?" Katherine asked angrily.

"Roll your sleeve up." Ron commanded.

"I'm not a Death Eater." Katherine said almost pleadingly.

"Then roll up your sleeve." Ron countered.

Katherine did not want to roll up her sleeve. She did not want her friends seeing the Mark. She did not want them asking questions about where it came from. She did not want to talk about her time at Malfoy Manor because she would not be able to answer why she waited a month to leave. Because, as clearly shown by her escape, she could have left anytime she wanted, but she didn't and she still didn't know why.

"Fine." Katherine growled.

She brought her arms back to her torso and slowly rolled up her left sleeve. Then she showed them her forearm with her fist pointed down. Ron's breath hitched and Harry tightened his grip on his wand. Hermione, however, cocked her head and gazed at the Mark with a confused expression.

"We should leave Harry; she probably is stalling us to give her Death Eater friends time to get here." Ron said fiercely.

Hermione, transfixed on Katherine's arm, started walking over to Katherine. Ron noticed and tried to stop her, but Hermione dodged him. Hermione kept her eyes on the Mark while her right hand played with her left sleeve. Hermione rolled up her own sleeve and revealed the wound that Bellatrix had been mocking Katherine about. A violently red series of cuts bore the word _Mudblood_ on Hermione's arm. Hermione grabbed Katherine's arm and put both arms next to each other and compared them.

"It's like a signature, isn't it?" Katherine commented in a strained, yet light voice.

Wordlessly, Hermione nodded.

"What? What's going on?" Ron asked, his view blocked by Hermione.

Then Harry was at Hermione's side and looking down at the scars in bemusement. Ron stayed where he was with his wand at the ready.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, clearly bewildered.

"The Mark's a scar and both of ours were done by the same person." Hermione explained. Harry's eyes widened.

"Bellatrix Lestrange? Really?" Harry asked both of them, who nodded.

"I had a little run in with her a couple of weeks ago." Katherine said, half-truthfully.

"So, the Mark's not real?" Harry attempted to confirm.

"It's just a scar." Katherine answered.

Harry smiled, and then bowed his head in shame.

"Sorry about thinking you're a Death Eater." Harry said.

Ron muttered some sort of incoherent apology. Katherine smiled at both of them and assured them that it was alright. Harry and Ron went to go talk with Aberforth, while Hermione stayed in front of Katherine, still transfixed by their arms.

"Hermione," Katherine said gently. It shook Hermione out of her thoughts and she let go of Katherine's arm and let her own drop to her side. Katherine rolled her sleeve back down as Hermione rolled her own down.

"You're here." Hermione said, smiling almost vacantly.

"Better late than never." Katherine said, smiling broadly. "And guess what?"

"What?" Hermione asked.

Katherine pulled out Hermione's wand and handed it to her.

"I thought I lost it forever." Hermione said breathlessly as she took her wand. "I've been using Bellatrix's."

"Really?" A mischievous glint twinkled in Katherine's eye. "Can I have it?"

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Because I am going to make Bellatrix pay." Katherine said firmly as Hermione handed her Bellatrix's wand.

Hermione's face broke out into a smile once she realized that her friend was back. Hermione threw her arms around Katherine, who hugged her back.

"I'm so glad you're here; boys are infuriating!" Hermione complained as she pulled out of the hug.

"I bet not that infuriating." Katherine grinned before dropping her voice to a whisper. "After all, you were alone with Ron for months."

Pain flashed across Hermione's face and Katherine dropped her grin. Katherine grabbed Hermione's shoulders and tried to see what was wrong with her friend.

"Hermione, what happened?" Katherine asked.

Hermione didn't respond and anger coursed through Katherine. She moved past Hermione until she was half-way between Hermione and Ron.

"What the bloody hell did you do?" Katherine spat at Ron, who looked at her in hurt confusion.

"Katherine," Hermione said from behind her. "It's alright; he came back."

Katherine turned around to look at Hermione with an incredulous look on her face. "He came back?" Then Katherine snapped her head at Ron. "_You left?_"

"Katherine, now is not the time for this." Aberforth said.

Katherine nodded. "You're right, Aberforth. We'll discuss this later, Ronald. So . . . what have I missed?"

"We found and destroyed Slytherin's locket." Harry said. "We found Hufflepuff's cup, too."

"How did you destroy the locket?" Katherine asked.

"Ron used Gryffindor's sword." Hermione answered. "We figured out that Basilisk venom kills Horcruxes and since Harry killed the Basilisk with the sword-"

"-it took on the properties of Basilisk venom. So, it can kill Horcruxes." Katherine finished for Hermione, who nodded.

"Also, You-Know-Who is trying to get the Elder Wand." Ron said.

"Has the Elder Wand." Harry corrected.

"The Elder Wand?" Katherine asked in confusion.

"You know the story of the Deathly Hallows, right?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Narcissa read them to Draco and I when I slept over." Katherine answered, ignoring Ron's look of horror at the idea of Death Eater wives reading bedtime stories. "But they're not real."

"Yes, they are." Harry said. "And Tom has the most powerful wand in existence on his side."

"Well, what's the plan?" Katherine asked, looking at Hermione because Hermione would have a plan.

"We believe Tom made something of Ravenclaw's a Horcrux and he left it in Hogwarts." Hermione answered.

"And we need to go down to the Chamber of Secrets." Ron said. Everyone looked at him in confusion.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because Griphook took the sword and we don't have any way to kill the Horcruxes, but the Basilisk skeleton is probably still in the Chamber." Ron explained. Everyone's jaw dropped.

"That's brilliant, Ron." Hermione said.

"Don't sound so surprised." Ron muttered annoyed.

"Alright, then let's get going, but I have a request." Katherine said.

"What?" Harry asked.

"I get to destroy Hufflepuff's Cup." Katherine said.

"Fine, but we need to get inside Hogwarts." Harry said.

"I can help with that, but are you sure, Potter? Are you sure you want to fight my brother's war?" Aberforth asked, looking intently at Harry, who squared his jaw.

"Yes. And it's my war, too. Tom made it my war the minute he killed my parents." Harry said firmly.

"Alright, if you're sure, Potter." Aberforth said before he nodded to the giant portrait of young girl. She nodded and turned around, disappearing for a while.

"How many more Horcruxes are there?" Katherine asked.

"Two." Hermione answered. "Something of Ravenclaw's and Tom's snake, Nagini."

Katherine nodded as they watched the girl return with someone trailing behind her. The portrait swung open to reveal a disheveled, beaten Neville Longbottom.

"Hello, all." Neville smiled. Katherine's jaw nearly dropped because Neville went from being a pudgy boy to being a very hot young man. Katherine looked over at Hermione and knew that she was having the same thought.

"Hey, Neville. We need to get into Hogwarts." Harry said.

"Well, follow me then." Neville said.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Katherine stepped into the tunnel and waved good-bye to Aberforth. The four followed Neville down a tunnel until they reached the opening, which lead into the Room of Requirement.

"Guess what, everyone? Harry's back!" Neville announced to the room of a hundred or so students.

The students stopped what they were doing and looked at the newly arrived four. Katherine recognized most of the people there and she waved to them.

"Why's everyone here, Neville?" Katherine asked.

"Snape and the Carrow twins have decided to use the medieval way of disciplining us." Neville answered with a frown. "We've been hiding in here, those of us who are resisting, I mean."

"How many students are there?" Katherine asked.

"Not many. Most of the Muggleborn and Blood Traitor students didn't come back." Neville said. "It's basically us and the Slytherins."

"How many professors are here?" Hermione asked.

"Everyone, along with the Carrow twins." Neville said.

"What's the plan, Harry?" Pavarti Patil asked.

Everyone swiveled their heads to look at Harry, who looked torn. Katherine knew that he wanted to go look for the Horcrux and go down to the Chamber of Secrets. And he didn't want to lead an army; he wanted to just kill Voldemort.

Katherine stepped forward and assumed a military position. She made sure that she was brimming with confidence and leadership.

"We're going to take back the castle, of course."Katherine said.


	56. Chapter 56

**This is the first in a series of chapters about the Battle of Hogwarts, so enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 56<em>

Katherine surveyed the room and was happy to find all of the students staring determinedly at her. They were going to fight with Katherine and Katherine was happy about that.

"Luna, I want you to help Harry find something." Katherine said when she spotted the blond haired Ravenclaw. Luna nodded and moved over to Harry. "Ron and Hermione, you two go down to the Chamber. Neville, you and the Patil twins need to go distract Snape. Hannah, go get Professor Sprout. Seamus, go get Professor Slughorn. And Corner, go get Professor Flitwick. Colin, get the other professors who are still on our side."

The mentioned people nodded and were about to leave, but Katherine stopped them.

"I am going to get Professor McGonagall and we'll take care of the Carrow twins. Neville, Pavarti, and Padma, you need to make Snape come out of the headmaster's office. Then return back here. Those who are getting the professors need to come back here and tell the professors to meet in the Great Hall. Once they have returned, all of you will wait five minutes before slowly going down to the Great Hall. Everyone, understand?" Katherine said.

They all nodded and Katherine dismissed them.

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione, we will meet at the entrance of the Room of Requirement in a half hour, alright?" Katherine asked.

They nodded. Katherine smiled, and then made her way out of the Room of Requirement, walking like a victorious general.

* * *

><p>Professor McGonagall downed her second shot of Firewhiskey. Usually, she avoided the stuff like it was the plague, but it had been a very horrible year. Her students were tortured mercilessly and she could not stop the tortures. She never felt so powerless before.<p>

She let her head fall into her arms as she waited impatiently for the Firewhiskey to make everything go away.

"Who knew that you wouldn't be able to survive with me?" A voice said teasingly.

Professor McGonagall raised her head, scowling at the insolent student, but the scowl left her face as she saw Katherine Peters standing before her. Professor McGonagall's face twitched in what was supposed to be a smile.

"You think too highly of yourself, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said, pursing her lips.

Katherine tipped the bottle of Firewhiskey back in order to read the label. Katherine's lips twitched.

"Sure." She said sarcastically. "So, during the year that I do not return, Professor McGonagall decides to become a drunkard. Coincidence? I think not."

"Be quiet, Miss Peters." Professor McGonagall said, but Katherine just smiled. "And this is the first drink I've had all year."

"Well, I'd love to argue, but we don't have time." Katherine said.

"And what, pray tell, are we doing?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"We're taking back the castle." Katherine smiled.

"Just us?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"We can do it. I mean, after all, you've got me on your side." Katherine smiled to let McGonagall know she was kidding.

"I'm hoping that you have a plan and this is not some reckless adventure you and your friends seem to like having." Professor McGonagall said.

"I have somewhat of a plan." Katherine answered with a small smile.

"That's better than nothing." Professor McGonagall said as she stood up with wand in hand. "I'm in."

* * *

><p>Katherine and Professor McGonagall snuck around the halls of the castle. When they reached the floor where the Carrows' office was, Katherine hid behind a suit of armor and McGonagall went to go knock on the office door. The door opened and the twins growled at McGonagall.<p>

"What is it, McGonagall?" Alecto asked.

"I overheard that some students were planning on taking over the castle. I thought it was best that you handle the situation." McGonagall lied.

"Can't 'andle the ickle students, Minerva?" Amycus mocked.

"C'mon, brother. This will be fun." Alecto said with a murderous look in her eye.

Amycus and Alecto walked out of their office and turned their backs on Professor McGonagall and Katherine, who was slowly moving out of her hiding spot. McGonagall quietly pulled out her wand as Katherine silently joined her. Katherine held up her hand and wordlessly counted down from three.

"_Stupefy!_" McGonagall and Katherine shouted.

The Carrow twins dropped and Katherine stuffed them in a closet and bound them tightly. She turned around to Professor McGonagall and smiled.

"Two down, one to go." Katherine said as an explosion rocketed throughout the castle. "I believe that's Neville."

Katherine and McGonagall ran until they reached the hall where the explosion had gone off. A very angry Snape was reviewing the damage. McGonagall moved into Snape's line of sight.

"Your time as headmaster has come to an end." McGonagall said.

McGonagall fired spells at Snape, who just deflected them or produced shields; he didn't attack. After a moment, he disappeared and left the castle.

"I'll meet you in the Great Hall later. Did you call the Order?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, but you do not believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will come here, do you?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"He will come because Harry's here." Katherine said. "He will come and there will be blood."

* * *

><p>Katherine was waiting in front of the entrance to the Room of Requirement. The students that had been hiding in it had left and were now waiting in the Great Hall for her. She heard footsteps and saw Ron and Hermione coming, holding hands and looking extremely happy. They let go when they saw Katherine.<p>

"I assume that the Chamber of Secrets was _fun_." Katherine said, her green eyes glinting in amusement.

Hermione blushed and Ron looked up at the ceiling. Katherine smiled broadly in amusement.

Then they heard more footsteps and saw Harry and Luna hurrying over to them. Harry looked slightly frustrated.

"So, what happened?" Katherine asked.

"The Horcrux is Ravenclaw's diadem, and we're just about to go find out where it is. But let's kill this Horcrux first." Harry said.

Ron handed Katherine a Basilisk fang and Hermione placed Hufflepuff's Cup on the floor in front of the Room of Requirement. Everyone backed away as Katherine knelt before the Cup with the Basilisk fang in her hand.

"It will fight back, Katherine." Harry warned.

"I can handle it." Katherine said over her shoulder.

Katherine took the Basilisk fang and brought it down with all of her power into the Cup. The tip of the fang barely touched the Cup, when a concussion of air blasted all five off of their feet and nearly threw Katherine down the stairs.

Katherine rolled over to see a cloud of black swirl around the Cup. A figure walked out wearing robes of royal purple, a bejeweled crown, boots and gloves made of dragon hide, and a gold handle rapier on its hip. The figure opened its eyes and they were green like Katherine's. A face began to appear on the figure and revealed itself to be Katherine's.

"I have seen your inner most desires, Katherine." A silky voice said, reminding Katherine of young Tom Riddle's. "I have seen your ambitions, though you try to hid them. I have seen how you crave power and extravagance."

"Look at what you could become." Riddle-Katherine said, moving her hand enticingly down the robes. "Look at all that you can behold. Look at the riches which can be yours. Look at the power that you can have. It can all be yours, but only if you join Him."

"Join me, Katherine." Young Tom Riddle's voice said silkily. "I can give you everything."

"Can you bring back Cedric?" Katherine shot.

The Riddle-Katherine and Tom's voice hesitated. And the hesitation was all that Katherine needed to know to reveal that the Horcrux was lying. Katherine ran forward and stabbed the Cup, but barely penetrated the surface.

Riddle-Katherine grabbed Katherine and threw her into the wall. The Basilisk fang flew from her grasp. Riddle-Katherine picked up Katherine and smashed her repeatedly into the wall. Then Riddle-Katherine, wearing a ring similar to Cedric's, punched Katherine in her bruised cheek. Katherine's sucked in her breath in pain only to have Riddle-Katherine slam her fist into Katherine's stomach.

Then Riddle-Katherine screamed in pain and dropped Katherine. Fighting off the stars that were claiming her vision, Katherine saw Hermione pushing the fang further into Hufflepuff's Cup. Riddle-Katherine tried to attack Hermione, but Katherine jumped and tackled the Horcrux figure.

Riddle-Katherine screamed louder, and then disappeared. Hermione slumped to the floor in exhaustion. Ron ran to her and gently helped her to her feet. Harry helped Katherine.

"Katherine?" Harry asked upon seeing Katherine's furious expression.

"It couldn't kill it." Katherine said through gritted teeth.

"It's alright." Harry said, but Katherine ignored him.

"Clearly, I'm not meant to help you with this adventure." Katherine said angrily. "Obviously, this is a Harry-Ron-And-Hermione-Only thing. No room for anyone else."

"Katherine," Hermione started to say.

"It doesn't matter." Katherine said briskly. "You kill Tommy and I'll lead the army. Good? Good."

Katherine turned on her heel and walked away before any one of them could say anything.

_ I got beaten up by my imagination._


	57. Chapter 57

_Chapter 57_

Katherine walked into the Great Hall only to be squished by someone hugging her. The person let go and Katherine realized that it was Tonks, who was missing an enormous stomach.

"You shrank!" Katherine announced, looking at Tonks's stomach.

"She had the baby." Remus said smiling as he came and put an arm around Tonks's shoulders. "A boy."

"Named Teddy after my dad." Tonks added. "And guess what?"

"What?" Katherine said, matching Tonks's enthusiasm.

"He's a Metamorphous!" Tonks announced excitedly.

"Like his mother!" Katherine grinned. "Did he inherit his father's furry little problem, too?"

"No, thank Merlin." Remus said, visibly relieved.

"Minerva tells me that you're in charge, Katherine." Kingsley said as he came over to them.

"I believe so." Katherine said.

"We're ready when you are." Kingsley said.

Katherine nodded and made her way to the stage where the staff table rested. Katherine turned and looked at the defenders of Hogwarts: students, teachers, ex-students, Order members, and ex-Ministry officials. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her.

"Voldemort's coming." Katherine said, ignoring all the cringes from most of the people. "He and his followers aren't above killing children, therefore all students who are below fifth year will not be allowed to fight."

Many of the students started protesting, but not as loudly as Dennis Creevey.

"Dennis, be quiet!" Katherine commanded. "You are too young!"

"But-" Dennis started to say.

"You are in charge of keeping the younger students safe. Okay, Dennis?" Katherine said, feeling a headache coming on. Dennis nodded reluctantly. "Good. Now, Professor Sprout, can you find a safe place for the students to wait?"

Professor Sprout nodded and walked out of the Great Hall, followed by thirty or so students. Katherine turned to look at the Slytherins clumped together in a corner.

"Slytherins," Katherine said, capturing all of their attentions. "If you support Voldemort, you will remain in your Common Room for the entirety of the battle. That also goes for those who do not want to participate. For those who support us, you will be allowed to fight. It's up to you."

More than half of the Slytherins left the Great Hall. The rest looked uncomfortable, but Katherine smiled at them and that seemed to make them feel better.

"Madam Pomfrey, we will have to treat the injured in here; it's the biggest room available. Take as many students as you need to get your supplies." Katherine said before Madam Pomfrey grabbed a couple of kids and left.

"Professor McGonagall, if I remember correctly, wizarding castles always have defense mechanisms. And, I believe, the Deputy Headmistress knows all of them." Katherine said.

"Consider it done." Professor McGonagall said as she swept out of the Hall.

"Remus and Tonks, take half of the people here and protect the main entrance. Kingsley, take the other half and disperse them throughout the castle. We must make sure every entrance is secure." Katherine ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Kingsley asked.

"I'm going to the front lines. I will not be like the generals of World War I, who lead battles in chateaus miles away from the fighting. I will be in the middle of it every second. This is my war, too." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Katherine stood in the front lines. The only things in front of her were the castle's defense mechanism: an army of statue knights. A giant orange shield acted as the first line of defense against Voldemort's soldiers.<p>

Slowly, a mass of black figures moved out of the Forbidden Forest. Katherine tightened her grip around her Bristlecone Pine wand. She watched the mass march for a moment, and then she turned around to look at the defenders.

"Remember," She said. "Voldemort's just a man and, like all men, he will die."

There were the sounds of multiple explosions and the orange shield started to dissolve. The statue knights braced themselves for battle; fore, they were the only thing between the defenders and Voldemort's forces.

Voldemort's force of giants, werewolves, Snatchers, and Death Eaters attacked the statue knights. Spells erupted and created a hole in the battalion of statue knights. Death Eaters poured through and Katherine produced a shield to hold them off.

Spell fire erupted from both sides and Katherine managed to make some of the spells rebound and hit their casters. A spell got around her shield and threw her backwards. Katherine scraped her elbows, but quickly got up. When she did, she found herself face-to-face with Amos Diggory.

"Mr. Diggory!" She exclaimed in surprise. Amos looked at her for a moment in confusion, and then looked down at Cedric's ring on her finger and recognition flashed through his eyes.

"Miss Peters." Mr. Diggory inclined his head.

"I'm glad you're here." Katherine smiled. "I thought you would have bowed out a long time ago."

"Never. It would be an insult to Cedric's memory." Mr. Diggory said.

Katherine smiled. "Good. Fight for him. Fight for Cedric."

"Is that who you fight for, Miss Peters?" Mr. Diggory asked.

"Yes." Katherine said, and then looked over her shoulder at the Hogwarts defenders. "And so much more."

"Then it's an honor to fight under you." Mr. Diggory said as he and Katherine shook hands.

"Thanks." Katherine said before she turned her attention back to the battle.

She saw the Weasley twins finishing off a group of Death Eaters. Katherine ran to join them once the last Death Eater fell. Katherine grabbed Fred's sleeve before he could run to join his twin in another fight.

"Fred, I need you to go inside and see how Kingsley's fairing up." Katherine said.

Fred stood up straighter and jokingly saluted Katherine. Katherine rolled her eyes, but smiled in amusement. Katherine watched Fred as he ran up the stairs and almost went through the door, but it swung open, stopping him.

"What are _you _doing here?" Fred sneered. Katherine looked to see an abashed Percy Weasley standing in the doorway.

"Fred," Percy said, looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let my ambition take over. Family is the only thing that matters, I see that now."

Fred hesitated, but then smiled at his older brother. Before Percy knew it, Fred wrapped him up a giant hug.

"Don't let it happen again." Fred smiled, but then the smile left his face as Pius Thicknesse and another Death Eater attacked the brothers.

Katherine tried to run to help them, but Yaxley got in her way. Katherine jabbed her wand, but Yaxley smoothly deflected her spells. Katherine took a step forward, and then launched herself at Yaxley. He was unprepared for such an attack, so Katherine was able to tackle him to the ground and punch him several times in the nose.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine yelled, with her wand in Yaxley's throat. Yaxley stiffened and Katherine rolled away from him.

"Minister, it is my duty to inform you that I am quitting." Percy said to Pius Thicknesse as he and Fred fought the Death Eaters.

"You're joking, Perce! Are you actually jok-" Fred's face froze in a laugh as the other Death Eater slashed his wand. Fred stumbled, and then fell to the ground, unmoving.

"FRED!" Percy yelled loud enough to call attention to George, who was next to Katherine.

"Fred?" George repeated bemused as his eyes fell upon his still twin. "FRED!"

Katherine and George ran towards Fred, while Percy, in his anger, destroyed Pius Thicknesse and the other Death Eater. When George reached Fred, he fell to knees and began wailing in grief.

"We need to move his body." Katherine said over the roar of the battle.

Percy nodded and he levitated Fred's body and went inside with George, tears rolling down his face, behind him. Katherine produced a shield to protect the Weasley boys from jinxes headed their way.

A cackle somehow made itself heard over the cries, screams, shouts, and grunts of battle. Katherine twisted around until she saw the source of the cackling: Bellatrix and Tonks were dueling furiously on the other end of the courtyard.

Katherine broke into a run and saw Remus in front of her, running towards Tonks. As Katherine got closer, she was able to make out what Bellatrix was saying.

"Did mummy like my little gift?" Bellatrix mocked in a baby-voice as she and Tonks exchanged spells. "Did mummy like the message I etched into daddy?"

Tonks didn't respond, instead she sent more spells towards Bellatrix. Katherine's demented aunt looked up and saw Remus getting closer.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Bellatrix said so calmly, so uncaring that Katherine felt like she herself had been struck by the coldness.

The green light wrapped around Tonks, who dropped face first into the pavement. Katherine stopped and Remus stumbled as if he was physically hit.

"NO!" Katherine yelled at the same time that Remus yelled, "TONKS!"

Remus was way ahead of her, so he got to Tonks's body first. He turned her over, oblivious to everything, but her. He grabbed her left hand with his right and intertwined their fingers.

Katherine ran even faster when she saw Antonin Dolohov walk over to Bellatrix. Dolohov smiled wickedly and raised his wand.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Dolohov said with a smile.

Lupin stiffened and dropped to the right. He laid the same way as his wife and stared up at the sky. They were still holding hands.

Bellatrix smiled predatorily as she started forward. Katherine knew what was flashing through Bellatrix's mind: thoughts of horrendous things she could do to Tonks's and Remus's bodies in order to hurt Andromeda.

"DON'T TOUCH THEM!" Katherine yelled as she jumped over the bodies and sent a Banishing Charm at Bellatrix and Dolohov.

"Are you going to protect them, Little Katie? How cute!" Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine sent a spell at Bellatrix, who deflected it and returned fire. Katherine managed to just barely block Bellatrix's spell and Dolohov's. Katherine shot off a few counter charms, but had to throw up a shield to block the spells coming at her.

Katherine moved her wand quickly in a circular motion, just focused on defense. Bellatrix and Dolohov were sending more powerful and more dangerous spells at her. Katherine moved faster, but she knew that she would have to get on the offensive soon or risk becoming too tired.

Then Katherine screamed as a curse sent by Bellatrix sliced through Katherine's right shoulder. Katherine's entire right arm went numb and her wand dropped next to Remus's head. Katherine started gasping for breath as she looked up at Bellatrix and Dolohov. They were moving closer. Moving closer to Remus and Tonks. Moving closer to doing unspeakable things to Andromeda's family.

Katherine leaned down and grabbed her wand in her left hand and blasted Bellatrix and Dolohov backwards. She fought even harder because she was not going to let Bellatrix hurt Andromeda any more than she already had.

It was awkward fighting left-handed, but Katherine refused to fall. Bellatrix took a step closer and Katherine fired a hex that made Bellatrix jump back. Dolohov slashed and the same purple flame he used two years ago on Hermione came at Katherine. She dropped and it barely missed her. Katherine jumped to her feet and just managed to deflect Bellatrix's Stunner.

Suddenly, Katherine fell to her knees and tried to cover both ears, but only managed one because her right arm wasn't responding.

"_You have fought valiantly, but it was all in vain._" Voldemort's voice pierced through her mind. "_I am calling back my forces. Take the time to take care of your dead. Harry Potter, I am speaking to you. You have let your friends die for you tonight. You have one hour to meet me in the Forbidden Forest . If you fail to do so, I will kill everyone who hides you from me. One hour, Harry Potter, one hour._"

The voice left her head and Katherine struggled to get back to her feet, but fell to her knees. Bellatrix started walking forwards, but Katherine pointed her wand at Bellatrix.

"Leave or you'll disobey your Master." Katherine said with more strength than she felt.

Bellatrix smirked and came closer until she was squatting next to Katherine. Bellatrix brushed Katherine's shaking left arm away and stared at Katherine. Then Bellatrix smirked and punched Katherine in her sliced shoulder. Katherine gasped and Bellatrix stood up.

"Bye, bye, Katie." Bellatrix said. "With that blood loss, you'll be dead before you can make it inside."

"I'm disappointed, Auntie Bella." Katherine said, fighting back any quivering in her voice. "I thought that after torturing me for a month, you would know me better. You would know that I always do the impossible."

"Not this time, Katie. You are only human." Bellatrix said as she walked away.

"So is your Master!" Katherine yelled at Bellatrix's retreating back.

Bellatrix whipped around and jerked her wand up, sending Katherine backwards. Katherine slammed into the pavement and struggled to get up. She heard Bellatrix cackle as the witch left.

Katherine pushed herself up and looked down at Tonks and Remus. Her lip quivered, but she held back the tears. She conjured two stretchers and put the bodies on them. While she controlled her shaking hand, she levitated the stretchers with the bodies and started walking slowly to the inside of the castle. People made way for her as she walked inside and into the Great Hall.

There was a line of cots in the middle of the Great Hall, a line of the dead. Katherine put Remus and Tonks on the end and collapsed to her knees before them.

Katherine looked down at saw that her coat was covered with blood and her right arm was longer than normal. Her head started to swim because of the blood loss.

Luckily, Madam Pomfrey was walking past and noticed Katherine. Madam Pomfrey quickly fixed Katherine's arm and gave her a Blood-Replenishing Potion. Madam Pomfrey then fixed Katherine's cheek. The instant relief from the dull pain that the injury had given her for the past couple of weeks was amazing.

"Thanks." Katherine said. Madam Pomfrey smiled, and then moved on to more patients.

Katherine turned her head and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the entrance of the Great Hall. Katherine stood up and made her way over to them. The first thing she did was hug Ron. When she pulled away, her composure faltered for a moment, but she had to keep up the facade of a confident leader.

"I'm sorry, Ron." She said as Ron looked past her to see his family crying over a cot. He quickly rushed over to them.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Fred." Katherine whispered as her throat constricted.

"Why are you covered in blood?" Hermione asked, her eyes on Katherine's coat.

Katherine didn't answer, instead she looked down at Tonks and Remus. Hermione followed her gaze and frowned. Hermione then moved to go to Ron. Katherine looked at Harry, who was staring at Remus and Tonks in anger.

Then he turned on his heel and marched away from the Great Hall.

"Harry, wait!" Katherine said, running after him.

He was running through the castle like a man on a mission. Katherine chased after him while calling his name, but he didn't stop. He ran all the way to the headmaster's office and went inside it. Katherine jumped past the gargoyle just as it was closing.

When Katherine made it into the office, she saw Harry going into Dumbledore's Pensive. She growled in frustration, but went to go stand by Professor Dumbledore's portrait.

"Someone has had an eventful night." Dumbledore's portrait commented with a twinkle in his eye.

"I rather wish I hadn't." Katherine frowned.

"The price of war, Katherine." Dumbledore said.

"What's the price of leadership then? A lifetime of guilt?" Katherine asked.

"It is hard to lead, but someone must do it." Dumbledore said.

"Unfortunately, I seem to have a tendency to be that person." Katherine said with a mournful expression.

"But you are good at it, Miss Peters. People follow you without question. And you do your upmost to make sure that as few people as possible lose their lives." Dumbledore said.

Katherine smiled. "Thanks. I really needed that."

Dumbledore nodded and smiled back at her. They fell into silence for a moment, and then Katherine's face twitched as she remembered something unpleasant.

"He knows." Katherine whispered.

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked worriedly.

"Yes." Katherine said.

"The truth was going to come out eventually." Dumbledore said.

"Yes, but this is earlier than either of us expected." Katherine countered.

"Well, Miss Peters, you must -oh, how do the Muggles say it?- roll with the punches then." Dumbledore said before Harry emerged from the Pensive.

Katherine was at Harry's side immediately. She looked worriedly at his betrayed expression.

"Harry?" She asked, touching his arm.

"I have to go meet him." Harry said, referring to Voldemort.

"I'm coming with you." Katherine said. Harry opened his mouth to retort, but Katherine silenced him with a firm look.

"Let's not keep him waiting then." Harry said.

The two walked out of the headmaster's office and made their way to the entrance of the castle. Katherine walked in front of Harry because he was walking too slow. They walked through the castle, side-stepping the debris, and trying to ignore the cries of pain from the Great Hall.

When Katherine reached the door to the courtyard, she looked over her shoulder to see if Harry was right behind her. Instead, he was still on the stairs, talking to Hermione and Ron. Katherine couldn't make out what they were saying, but Hermione was crying, and then Harry and Hermione hugged for an unusually long time. Harry let go and hugged Ron, not as long as Hermione though, but still an unusually long time.

Harry then left them and walked down to join Katherine. Katherine looked at Hermione and Ron in confusion.

_Harry's going to be fine. _She thought. _He always comes back after fighting Tommy. He always does._

Katherine and Harry walked out of the courtyard and down to the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Katherine walked side-by-side, but didn't speak because Harry was lost in his own thoughts.

"Katherine," Harry said as they passed Hagrid's burning house.

"Yes, Harry?" Katherine answered as she put out the fire.

"What's going to happen if Voldemort wins?" Harry asked, sounding like a small child.

"Voldemort will never win as long as there are people still fighting against him." Katherine said confidently.

"Will you continue fighting him?" Harry asked.

"Till the very end." Katherine answered as they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

They walked in silence for a few moments, but then Harry stopped. He took out the Snitch Dumbledore had given him and stared at it. He touched it to his lips and it opened to reveal a small black smooth rock.

"The Resurrection Stone." Harry muttered as he put it in his hand.

Katherine watched him as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then ghost-like versions of Remus, Sirius, James, and Lily appeared in a line before them. The four beamed at the two seventeen year olds.

Then James turned to his wife and said, "Honey, why do they always get your eyes?"


	58. Chapter 58

**I hope that this chapter at least gives an idea of what the title means. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 58<em>

Harry's jaw dropped as Katherine moved to stand next to him. He looked at his father then at Katherine, and then back at his father.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked flabbergasted.

"Katherine is your sister, Harry." James answered.

"What?" Harry exclaimed.

"I'm your twin." Katherine said.

"No, you're not." Harry said. "You can't be."

"Harry, look at me. We are the same height and build. We have similar facial structures. And we share the same eyes. Our mum's eyes." Katherine explained.

Harry stared at her in disbelief. Then Katherine remembered the picture she took from Godric's Hollow. She pulled it out of her inside coat pocket and gave it to Harry.

"There's mum and dad." Katherine said, pointing to the smiling adults, each one holding a one year old. "Mum's holding you and dad's holding me."

"So, it's true?" Harry asked to Sirius and Remus.

"Yes." Sirius said at the same time Remus said, "I don't know."

"Wait," Remus said. "You knew, Padfoot?"

"Of course I knew, I'm her godfather." Sirius said proudly.

"Why wasn't I told?" Remus asked, trying not to sound betrayed.

"Sirius and Dumbledore were the only ones that knew." Katherine said.

"I'm confused." Remus said.

"When the twins were born, Dumbledore warned us about Voldemort wanting to kill Harry. So, we decided to go into hiding and keep Katherine a secret. Everyone already knew about Harry because of Voldemort, but no one knew about Katherine, except Sirius and Dumbledore." James said.

"Then Dumbledore," Lily said. "Suggested that Katherine live somewhere else. Since no one knew about her, she would be relatively safe. We asked my friends, John and Marie Peters, to take care of Katherine. They agreed and Katherine left us a month before her first birthday."

"Dumbledore created a false history for her. He made it seem like her parents died in battle and the Peters adopted her. He pretended to have lost Katherine's birth certificate, so no one would question if her parents were real or not. He made a Gringotts account for her under the name Katherine Peters. He made her false name so convincing that the Marauder's Map believes that her name is Katherine Peters." Sirius said.

"But why wasn't I told?" Remus asked.

"The fewer people that knew, the better. Voldemort would come after her and use her as bait to lure us out of hiding." James said.

"When did you find out, darling?" Lily asked Katherine.

"When I was five. Mrs. Peters thought I old enough to understand at the time." Katherine said.

"And were you?" Sirius asked.

"I never breathed a word, so yeah." Katherine said.

"So, you are my sister?" Harry asked after a moment of trying to get his voice to work.

"Yes. My real name's Katherine Lily Potter." Katherine answered, her face brightening. "I can't believe I got to say that. I want to shout it now. KATH-"

"Later." Sirius interrupted with a smile.

"But I kissed you!" Harry said with a distraught expression.

"We're not discussing that." Katherine said with a tone of finality.

"But you kissed me back!"

"Harry! We were fifteen! Everyone does stupid things when they're fifteen!" A collective nod from the four adults ended that conversation.

"Now, what?" Harry asked.

"How about I talk to Remus and Sirius, while you talk to mum and dad, and then we'll switch?" Katherine suggested.

"Works for me." Harry said.

Katherine walked to where she couldn't hear Harry and Remus and Sirius joined her.

"Did you get my gold?" Sirius asked.

"Huh?" Katherine asked confused.

"I left you some gold in my will. Enough gold that you wouldn't have to worry about being poor, but not enough that people would think it was suspicious." Sirius said.

"That was you?" Katherine said. "I thought it was the Malfoys."

Sirius laughed at the idea, which he surely thought was ridiculous. Katherine's mouth twitched, but she held back a smile.

"Thanks for protecting us, Katherine." Remus changing the subject with a soft smile.

"I wish I was faster." Katherine said frowning.

"You can't change the past." Remus said.

"Unless you have a Time-Turner, but we only use that to save Buckbeak." Katherine smiled as Remus and Sirius laughed.

"Tonks thanks you, too." Remus added.

"Tell her that I'll help take care of Teddy and I won't let Bellatrix harm her mother." Katherine said, fighting back tears.

"She said that she will hold you to that, 'Little One.'" Remus smiled as Katherine scowled at the hated nickname.

"Only you can call me that, Nymphadora." Katherine grinned mischievously.

Remus smirked, obviously listening to whatever rant his wife was going on. His grin got even broader as the rant continued.

"So, the gist is don't call her by her first name." Remus laughed.

"Her first name?" Katherine repeated.

"She promised me eternal damnation if I said it." Remus grinned and Sirius clapped him on the back.

"You're her bitch, Moony." Sirius laughed.

Katherine laughed along with Sirius, and then they both looked at Remus's scowling face, and laughed even harder.

"Don't laugh with them!" Remus cried over his shoulder at, Katherine assumed, Tonks.

That made Katherine and Sirius laugh so hard they almost stopped breathing. As Katherine was gasping for breath, Harry tapped her on the shoulder.

"It's your turn with mum and dad." Harry said somberly.

Katherine stopped laughing and made her way over to her parents. James and Lily beamed at her.

"We're so proud of you, sweetheart." Lily said.

"I've tried, mum." Katherine said, smiling because she did not have to pretend any longer.

"Though pissing off Voldemort may have been a little stupid." James winked.

Katherine smiled. "Oh well, I must have my fun."

"That's my daughter." James laughed. Lily smiled, and then her smile faltered as she thought of something.

"Darling, I'm sorry we weren't there when Cedric died. When you needed us the most." Lily said.

"But you were there." Katherine insisted. "The night before I had to get on the train, you two came."

"You felt us?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, and I knew you were there." Katherine said.

"We can call Cedric for you." Lily said.

"No!" Katherine exclaimed quickly. "No, I'm not ready."

"You're not?" James asked.

"I need to keep a cool head." Katherine said. "If I see him, I'll lose control."

"He says that he loves you and he's glad you haven't thrown his ring in the trash." Lily said.

"I love you, too, Cedric, and I would never throw your ring away." Katherine said.

"He says he's glad." Lily said.

"Wait a minute! There's a boy trying to get with my little girl? Well, I guess Padfoot, Moony, and I will have to have a word with him." James said smiling.

"James," Lily scolded.

"Lily, I would never hurt him." James said, faking innocence. Lily snorted, but didn't say anything else because Harry joined them. Remus and Sirius also joined them.

"And you will stay with me?" Harry asked the adults.

"Always." Lily promised.

The four adults vanished as Harry let go of the stone. It fell to the ground and Katherine watched it drop. In front of her, Harry set his jaw and started walking onward, towards Voldemort. Harry didn't see Katherine sneakily swoop down, scoop up the stone, and place it in her pocket.

Harry and Katherine walked through the Forbidden Forest until they reached Voldemort and his forces. Voldemort turned around when he saw them and smiled creepily.

"The Potter twins, inseparable it seems." Voldemort mocked.

"Evening, Tommy." Katherine smirked.

"Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce our guests." Voldemort said to his forces. "Harry and Katherine Potter, sole children of James and Lily Potter."

Murmurs erupted around Voldemort's forces. One of the Death Eaters stepped forward and was bowing meekly to Voldemort.

"My Lord, how did you find this out?" The Death Eater asked quietly and flinched as if he expected Voldemort to cast the Cruciatus Curse on him. But Voldemort didn't.

"After my encounter with Miss Potter in Godric's Hollow," Voldemort said. "I became obsessed with trying to find out her history. I must admit that Dumbledore had created a very good fake history. I almost gave up the search until I meet her again and saw that her eyes reminded me of dear Harry's.

"I went back to searching, but could not find anything conclusive. Then I remembered reading Sirius Black's will, in which Black left a sum of gold to Miss Potter. At first, I did not think much of it. Katherine was poor and Black was probably helping out Harry's friends. After seeing dear Katherine again, I looked at the will once more and noticed that Black did not leave any money to Potter's other friends, who we know need the money more than Katherine.

"I believed that Katherine was a Potter, but I was not sure. . . . Until, I went into Katherine's room at Malfoy Manor and was about to telling her who I thought her parents were, but she attacked me and left before I could say a word.

"Do you deny it, Katherine? Do you deny that you are a Potter?" Voldemort asked.

Katherine looked at Voldemort, and then decided that was no point in trying to keep the truth secret any longer.

"I am. My real name is Katherine Lily Potter." Katherine said, fighting back a joyous smile at being able to say her name.

"So, do the Potter twins intend to defeat me together?" Voldemort asked mockingly.

"No. This is Harry's fight. I'm just here to watch. So, I'll go stand next to Narcissa." Katherine said.

She smiled encouragingly at Harry, and then made her way across the small clearing to Voldemort's forces. When she passed by Voldemort, he pointed his wand at her.

"Don't touch me, Tommy; I'm still considering your offer." Katherine lied convincingly enough for Voldemort to lower his wand.

"Fine, then go stand by Bellatrix." Voldemort ordered.

"Sure thing, Voldy." Katherine said, saluting him.

Katherine joined Bellatrix, who was behind Voldemort and to his right. Bellatrix jabbed her wand into Katherine's side.

"Don't try anything, Peters." Bellatrix growled.

"It's Potter, Auntie Bella." Katherine countered.

Katherine turned her attention back to her brother and Voldemort. She couldn't wait to see what she assumed was going to be the most epic battle ever. Not for the first time, she wished that she had been present at Harry's and Voldemort's other duels.

_Alright, Harry boy, _she thought, _just pull out your wand and knock Voldemort's arse into the ground._

But Harry stood unmoving with no wand in his hand.

_Your wand, Harry. Remember? It's that long stick that we use to produce spells. Now, just pull it out._

But Harry stared at Voldemort and still didn't bring out his wand.

_What the hell are you doing, Harry? Pull out your wand! DON'T JUST STAND THERE!_

But Harry just closed his eyes and that was the extent of his movement.

_PULL OUT YOUR WAND! DON'T STAND THERE LOOKING STUPID! GRAB YOUR WAND!_

Voldemort raised his wand and Harry still didn't move.

_HARRY! YOUR WAND! _

Voldemort smiled as if Christmas came early and he got everything he wanted.

_FIGHT, HARRY! FIGHT! GET YOUR WAND!_

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Voldemort yelled.

The green light came at Harry in a giant explosion.

_DUCK! DAMMIT! DON'T JUST STAND THERE!_

It Harry and sent him backwards. And he fell to the ground and didn't move at all.

"HARRY!"


	59. Chapter 59

**So, I'm an awful person. I have had 3/4 of this chapter written for days, but then I started playing a computer game and didn't feel like finishing this up. But I died in that game, so I finished and posted this chapter. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 59<em>

Katherine stared at the unmoving Harry in disbelief. Her mouth was open and her eyes wide. She waited, waited for Harry to get up because he was Harry Potter, and Harry Potter does not die. He's the freaking Boy Who Lived, for Pete's sake!

But he didn't move.

Katherine started for him, picking up the pace as she moved out of Bellatrix's grip. She had barely made it past Voldemort, when she heard two voices shout, "_Crucio!_"

Katherine's back arched in pain as the two curses hit her. Combined the two curses did to her what one Cruciatus Curse did to a normal person. Katherine fell to her knees and screamed in agony. Then she fell backwards and started jerking painfully.

Then the curses were lifted and Katherine coughed as she tried to draw in her breath.

"It seems, Katherine, that you aren't remarkable enough to throw off two Cruciatus Curses." Voldemort said, the earth crunching underneath his bare feet as he moved to stand by Katherine's head.

Katherine continued coughing and willed herself to be strong in front of her enemy. Voldemort looked down at her with a feral smile.

"It's over, Katherine Potter. You have seen my power and I can give you your own." Voldemort said. "Now . . . join me."

Something snapped behind Katherine's green eyes and fire flared in them. She jumped to her feet and rounded on Voldemort.

"Join you?" Katherine snarled before she pointed at Bellatrix. "She killed the Peters! She killed Sirius! She killed Ted! She killed Tonks!" Katherine then pointed at Dolohov. "He killed Remus!" Then she pointed at Voldemort. "And _you!_ You killed my parents! You killed my brother! YOU KILLED CEDRIC! WHY THE BLOODY HELL WOULD I JOIN YOU?"

Katherine stood huffing and puffing, blowing through her nose like an angry bull. She desperately wanted to rip Voldemort to shreds and feed his carcass to the vultures that plagued her nightmares. Voldemort looked at Bellatrix lazily.

"Bella?" He asked.

"My pleasure, Master." Bellatrix smiled predatorily at Katherine.

"_Crucio!_" Bellatrix and Voldemort said together.

Katherine fell to her knees, clutching her head, and screaming in pain. She fell backwards and starting jerking crazily. Her head started filling with screams of the people in the village that were dead because of her. Images of Cedric's death and her nightmare with his body being dismembered sporadically raced through her weak mind.

The curses were lifted and Katherine fought hard to not start vomiting. She sucked in deep breaths, only to have them come out as hacking coughs. She closed her eyes in an attempt to squeeze out the pain.

"Narcissa," She heard Voldemort command. "Go make sure Potter is dead."

Katherine heard Narcissa walk past her and to Harry. Katherine kept her eyes shut and tried to make herself deaf so she wouldn't have to hear.

"Well?" Voldemort asked getting impatient.

"Dead." Katherine heard Narcissa answer. "You've won."

"Did you hear that, Katherine? I won." Voldemort said from above her.

Katherine wanted to say that Voldemort could never win. She wanted to come up with some witty, brilliant remark. But she did not want to get cursed again. She did not want to feel the pain.

"Now, we shall return to Hogwarts, and you, Katherine, shall carry your brother's body." Voldemort ordered.

Katherine wanted to refuse, but she did not want to be cursed again and she didn't want any of the enemy to touch Harry.

So, Katherine nodded and got to her feet. Controlling her shaking, she walked over to Harry and pulled out her wand. She levitated Harry's body into her arms, positioning him so that his head was resting on her left arm and his legs were resting on her right arm. Then she turned half-way to look at Voldemort.

"Après-vous." Katherine said, keeping her wand half-hidden in her right hand.

Voldemort moved past her and Katherine walked behind him with Bellatrix at her left. They marched through the Forbidden Forest with Voldemort's forces behind them.

Katherine forced herself to keep her breathing normal. She was trying to appear calm and confident. But it wasn't working as she carried her dead brother towards Hogwarts.

They crossed the stone bridge and slowly made their way into the courtyard where Remus and Tonks died before Katherine's eyes. Voldemort walked a dozen feet away from the bridge and stayed there. Katherine moved to his left and placed herself as far away from Voldemort as possible. The nearest Death Eater was a couple of feet away from her.

The defenders of Hogwarts were in the courtyard and staring at Harry's body in disbelief. Katherine watched as they slowly comprehended what they were looking at.

"HARRY!" Katherine heard Ginny scream as she watched Ginny attempt to run to Harry only to be knocked away be Voldemort. Then Mr. Weasley grabbed her and kept her back.

"Your hero is dead." Voldemort announced with a joyous smile. "Any attempt to fight now will be suicide. Do you see that I have won?"

Neville staggered forward, favoring his left leg and carrying the battered Sorting Hat.

"You won?" Neville asked, spitting out blood that flowed into his mouth from a wound to his head. "I wasn't aware of that. Yes, Harry's dead, but people die every day and others still go on living. You haven't won because there are people still fighting against you!"

Katherine heard someone sigh in relief. Katherine knew it wasn't a Death Eater because a Death Eater wouldn't sigh in relief at the thought of continued fighting. So, Katherine looked down at Harry and, to her surprise, his lips were curled into a small happy smile at Neville's speech. Katherine looked at his chest and saw that he was breathing, and he was, therefore, alive.

Then Katherine barely moved her lips as she said, "You bastard."


	60. Chapter 60

**If you assumed that I did not update recently because I had writer's block, you'd be wrong. I did not have writer's block. I knew exactly what I wanted to write, but I was too lazy to write it. So, enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 60<em>

"Alright, Potter," Katherine said quietly and tried not to move her lips in case someone was looking at her. "Here's the plan. I'm going to distract Tommy and you go find a spot to finish him off. Don't let him choose the site of your battle. After all, as Sun Tzu says-"

"Is this really the time to be quoting Sun Tzu?" Harry murmured.

"There's always time to for a relevant quote. But this time, I agree with you, there is not." Katherine muttered.

"I'm ready when you are." Harry whispered.

Katherine aimed her wand at the stone underneath Voldemort's feet.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Katherine whispered. "_Reducto!_"

The spell destroyed the stone, causing Voldemort to fall. Katherine dropped Harry and ran to where she was in between the defenders and Voldemort's forces. She turned her head to the defenders.

"MOVE INSIDE!" She commanded.

Katherine turned back to see Nagini lunging for her. Katherine bent backwards, but she knew that the snake was going to get her. She closed her eyes and waited for the bite.

But it never came.

Katherine opened her eyes to see Neville slashing Nagini's head off with Gryffindor's Sword. Voldemort screamed in anger and pain. Katherine grabbed Neville and pulled him behind her.

"Get everyone inside!" She ordered to him before she turned to face Voldemort's stunned defenders. "_PROTEGO MAXIMUM!_"

A shield enormous enough to cover all of the Hogwarts defenders burst out of Katherine's wand and separated her from Voldemort's forces. Voldemort recovered from his last Horcrux's death and started blasting spells at Katherine's shield. His forces awoke from their shock and started firing at the shield.

Katherine forced her shield to not fall because she needed to give the defenders and Harry time to regroup. More spells hit the shield and it faltered. Katherine looked over her shoulder to see the progress of the defenders. She breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the last defender go inside and shut the great door.

Katherine felt her shield falter and she turned around only to get hit by a jet of light. The shield dissolved as Katherine flew through the air. She crashed into the stone steps leading up to the great door. She rolled over and tried to get her breath back. A pain in her side told her that she probably broke a rib.

She got up and walked out of the entranceway. Then she levitated some debris to block the entranceway, save for a small opening on the side. Once she was done, she hid behind a fallen column.

She watched as Voldemort's forces completely ignored her and march towards the great door. She had to do something to stop them. She had to give the defenders more time.

A light bulb went off in Katherine's head. She stood up, cupped her mouth to amplify the sound, and took a deep breath before yelling,

_TOMMY THE HALF-BLOOD LORD_

_TRIED TO RULE THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!_

_BUT HE COULDN'T WIN_

_BECAUSE HARRY POTTER DID HIM IN!_

Every single one of Voldemort's forces stopped and looked at her as if she had gone insane. Then a barge of spells were launched at her. She ducked behind the column and crawled towards another one that was closer to the entrance to the castle. She peeked her head out only to see one of Voldemort's spells barely miss her.

"I don't know, Tommy, but for some reason I thought you'd be better than Bellatrix!" Katherine yelled before ducking behind the column as Voldemort and Bellatrix spent curses at her. The curses hit the wall behind Katherine and turned it green with tentacles. Katherine made a noise of disgust.

She quickly ran towards the entranceway and sent a couple of Blasting Curses towards Voldemort's forces. She ran through the small hole at the side of the barricade, through the great door, and into the Great Hall where all the defenders were.

She closed the door to the Great Hall before facing the unscathed defenders. Some had tears drying on their dirty faces, but almost all of them had determined, yet somewhat scared expressions on their faces.

Katherine smiled encouragingly and walked until she passed one fourth of the defenders.

"Everyone from the door to me, I want you to cast shields when the door opens." Katherine commanded. "Everyone else, I want you to pick up a rock or piece of debris. And when the door opens, throw it, and transfigure it into a knife."

Everyone nodded and got ready. Katherine walked, and then climbed on to the Ravenclaw table. She picked up a rock from on top of the table and stood up, ready to fight. Katherine looked around at all the bodies lying on stretchers. She caught a glimpse of pink hair and stood straighter, strengthening her resolve.

Something banged hard against the door. A hundred wands raised at the same time, pointing at the door. The door shuddered against another blow.

"Remember, Voldemort is just a man." Katherine said.

The door flew open and the front lines produced shields to protect themselves and the people behind them. The rest of the defenders threw rocks and debris at the attackers. Katherine threw her rock, transfigured it into a knife, and watched as it stabbed and brought down a Snatcher. The rest of the knives took down the first line of Voldemort's forces.

The next group of Voldemort's forces had shields up. Katherine furiously threw whatever her hand came in contact with and transfigured the miscellaneous items into knives. She managed to kill a couple of Snatchers, but Voldemort's forces were pouring in. She saw that the rest of the defenders were having trouble keeping the attackers at bay, too.

"FIRE AT WILL!" Katherine yelled.

The Great Hall soon filled with a rainbow array of lights as the defenders tried smashing the shields of the attackers. Katherine sent spell after spell as the Snatchers gave way to Death Eaters.

Katherine saw a familiar tumble of black hair and aimed the next set of spells at Bellatrix. The witch merely ducked her head and took a step to the left and all of Katherine's spells missed her. Bellatrix smiled mockingly at Katherine and pointed her wand at the teenager.

A blast of pure white light charged at Katherine, who erected a shield and closed her eyes as the light started to blind her. But her shield wasn't enough. The light blasted through her shield like it was a cloud. The light made contact with her, and then threw her down the length of the table. Katherine slid and scrapped up her hands as she tried to grab something to stop herself from sliding. Then she fell off the table and slammed into the tile.

She spat out blood and took deep breaths, which turned into wheezes. She placed her hands on the tile and pushed up, only to have her arms give out on her.

_Come on, Pet-Potter. Get up._ She told herself.

Heaving a great breath, Katherine got up and willed herself to look unharmed.

"Is that the best you've got?" Katherine sneered at Bellatrix, who howled in frustration.

Katherine jumped back on the table and raced to the front lines. Bellatrix had disappeared, so Katherine busied herself with taking care of the other Death Eaters. She reached the end of the table, firing spell after spell at the Death Eaters.

Dolohov sent a jet of orange light at her and she flipped off the table to avoid it. When she landed, she saw all three Malfoys huddled in a corner with Narcissa deflecting any stray spells that came their way, but none of them were actually fighting.

Katherine turned back to Dolohov and slashed her wand over and over until she killed him. He fell to the floor in a river of blood and his falling revealed Voldemort coming into the Great Hall. Voldemort started casting Killing Curses randomly and hit Colin Creevey in the back.

Katherine ran onto the table and jumped back into the middle of the fighting. She deflected and countered attacks from the Death Eaters around her. Through the fire fight, she saw a Killing Curse heading for Ron, who was a couple of yards away.

Katherine ran and dove. She caught Ron's legs and brought him to the ground. The green jet whistled dangerously over his head. But missed him. Katherine rolled and hit the Death Eater who casted the spell with a Stunner before he could try again.

"Alright?" Katherine asked Ron.

"Yeah. Thanks." Ron breathed.

Katherine nodded and the two rose from the ground. Then Katherine heard a familiar, annoying cackle. She scanned the Great Hall until she saw Bellatrix on the other end, near the staff table. Bellatrix was dueling Hermione, Luna, and Ginny at the same time.

Katherine started running to go help her friends. But then someone stepped in her path. Katherine ground to halt and glared at the leering Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Move." She snarled.

"Now, now, Katie-"

"_Sectumsempra!_" Katherine yelled, slashing her wand at the level of his neck. Rodolphus's head detached itself from his shoulders and rolled on the ground. The artery sticking out from the neck sprayed blood on Katherine's face and coat.

Bellatrix yelled in anguish and Katherine coolly locked eyes with her torturer. Katherine kept walking towards Bellatrix, who suddenly changed her expression from agony to taunting.

"With every step, you become more like me, Little Katie." Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine froze in mid-step and Bellatrix used that hesitation to send a Killing Curse that barely missed Ginny. That made Katherine unfreeze and start moving again, but she was beaten to Bellatrix.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

Katherine made it over to where Bellatrix was and grabbed Ginny, Luna, and Hermione. Katherine pulled them out of the danger zone, and then moved where she was between them and the dueling Bellatrix and Mrs. Weasley.

Katherine watched as the two witches dueled with such intensity that Katherine found herself partly blinded by the jets of light. Then Mrs. Weasley found an opening and hit Bellatrix in the heart. Bellatrix collapsed to the ground and didn't move.

"Now, Mrs. Weasley, I wanted to do that." Katherine pretended to pout as she kicked Bellatrix's body just to check that the witch was dead.

Then Katherine heard a roar of rage and saw Voldemort storming towards them.

"Get behind me." Katherine ordered and Ginny, Luna, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley did as she said.

Katherine stood taller and stretched her wand out in front of her. She was going to fight Voldemort and kill him if she had the chance.

To her right, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement. She sighed in frustration, closed her eyes as her head turned towards the person who defied her order.

"I thought I said, get behind me." Katherine said exasperated, and then opened her eyes to see Harry with a lopsided grin.

"I think I'm the exception." Harry said.

Katherine lowered her wand and motioned for Harry to go ahead. Harry strode towards Voldemort, who looked at him in disbelief.

"You're alive?" Voldemort said almost disbelieving.

"I'm kinda hard to kill." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders as he continued walking forward.

A blast of light skimmed over Katherine's nose, causing her to turn to the left. Rabastan Lestrange fired another jet of light at her. Katherine hastily casted a shield, and then ran over to Rabastan.

"That's right, I'm the true master of the Elder Wand." Katherine heard Harry say.

Rabastan faltered, and then bolted for the door. Katherine thought about running after him, but she saw Harry and Voldemort on their knees, their wands connected by red and green lights. Katherine ran over and stood behind Voldemort, her wand pointing at his head.

"You're Plan B, aren't you, Katherine?" Voldemort whispered as he struggled to maintain the connection with Harry.

"That's right. If you kill Harry, I kill you, and you die. And if Harry kills you, you die. This a lose-lose situation for you, Tommy. How does it feel to be a _loser_?" Katherine mocked.

Voldemort roared with rage as he shouted, "_Avada Kedavra!_" but at the same time, Harry shouted, "_Expelliarmus!_"

The Elder Wand shot out of Voldemort's grasp and sent his own Killing Curse at him. The green light hit him and he fell to the ground. Everyone stopped fighting and watched, waiting for him to get up. But he didn't.

Katherine leaned down and felt for a pulse. Her fingers felt nothing even as she searched for several minutes.

"He's dead." She said in disbelief, eyes wide.

She could not believe it. This terror could not be dead. The man who killed her parents and Cedric. The man whose Cause killed Remus, Tonks, Ted, Sirius, and the Peters. He couldn't be dead.

But he was.

Katherine stood up and kicked the body. "Ha! What do you know? He is just a man."

Katherine looked at Harry who said with a small, weary smile, "Mischief managed."


	61. Chapter 61

**Sorry about not updating for some time. I've been lazy, but Rani made me promise to post a chapter today, so that's what I've done. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 61<em>

Katherine smiled relieved and weary as she jumped up and crashed into Harry, pulling him into a hug. Harry returned the hug, both did not see the betrayed and hurt look on Ginny's face, and then they broke the embrace. Katherine took a step back, the smile disappeared, and then she slapped Harry.

"Don't you ever pretend to be dead again!" She snapped at him with her finger in this face.

Harry smiled a lopsided grin at her and raised his hands in amused surrender. "Don't worry; I don't plan to."

Katherine dropped her hand and could not stop from smiling at him. Harry looked tired, but he returned her smile. Both of them still did not see Ginny, who was staring at them with an expression that was changing between betrayal to anger.

Katherine sighed as she looked at all the people in the Great Hall. The last of Voldemort's forces were either surrendering or had already made a run for it. The defenders were sagging with relief and grief, but some were looking at Harry like he was a god and sending confused looks to Katherine. She could tell that they were all questioning why she had been called a Plan B by Voldemort.

"I guess we have to tell them." Katherine whispered to Harry, both did not hear Ginny's sharp intake of her breath.

Harry nodded and Katherine grabbed his hand and slowly led him to the stage that was holding the remnants of the staff table. Harry stood on the tallest step, while Katherine stood on the stage. Katherine cleared her throat and slowly the defenders stopped talking to look at her and Harry.

"Everyone, Harry and I have something to tell you." Katherine announced. This time she saw Ginny's look of hurt and Katherine narrowed her eyes in confusion, but didn't say anything.

The defenders looked at Harry and her expectantly. Katherine opened her mouth to speak, but found that she did not know what to say. She had spent her entire life not saying the truth and she didn't know if she could say it now.

"Well . . . um . . ." Katherine started before clearing her throat. "You see . . . um well . . . In July . . . um . . . Lily and James Potter . . . well . . . um . . . Harry and I-"

"Are twins." Harry interjected because Katherine couldn't speak. "Katherine and I are twins."

Katherine flashed him a thankful smile. The defenders looked at them in shock. Katherine smiled at them.

"We're twins. I'll explain everything later, but right now, we need to focus on healing." Katherine said as she and Harry stepped down from the stage.

Ginny walked over to them with a relived look on her face. Then Ginny threw her arms around Harry and clung to him. She raised her head from the crook of Harry's neck and looked at Katherine over Harry's shoulder.

"When you went up there, I . . . I thought you were going to announce that you were engaged to each other." Ginny admitted as an embarrassed blush appeared on her face.

Harry stared at Ginny in confusion, while Katherine started laughing hysterically. When Katherine finished, she was gasping for air.

"Ginny, Harry and I haven't seen each other since August, when would he have had time to propose to me?" Katherine laughed. Ginny smiled sheepishly, and then buried her head in Harry's neck.

"Tie them up!" Katherine heard a voice command. She turned to see three Aurors surrounding the Malfoys.

"Oh, crap." Katherine muttered before she ran across the Hall to the Malfoys.

The Malfoys were sitting on the floor with their backs to a wall, staring at the three wands pointed at them. Lucius was trying to say something, but it came out only as stutters. Katherine stepped between the Aurors and the Malfoys.

"What are you doing?" Katherine asked annoyed.

"We're arresting these Death Eaters." The middle Auror said.

"No, you're not." Katherine said.

"And who are you to tell us what to do?" The Auror on the left sneered.

"I'm Katherine Potter, Leader of the Hogwarts Defenders." Katherine said.

"Give us a reason not to arrest them." The middle Auror mocked.

"They did not fight in the battle." Katherine said.

"So? They're still Death Eaters." He said.

"But they didn't fight for Voldemort." Katherine countered.

One of the Aurors lowered her wand, but the others refused to. The middle Auror pointed his wand in Katherine's face.

"You know what? I'm going to arrest you, too." He snarled.

"Under what charge?" Katherine laughed. "Being smarter than you?"

He growled. "No, for impeding the arrest of three Death Eaters."

"What's going on here?" A deep, calming voice said.

"Auror Shacklebolt, we are trying to arrest these Death Eaters, but Potter won't budge." The middle Auror explained. It took a moment for Katherine to realize who he was complaining about.

"Katherine." The newcomer said.

"Kingsley." Katherine said with a mischievous glint in her green eyes.

"What's going on?" Kingsley asked.

"They are trying to arrest the Malfoys, but they can't. The Malfoys did not fight in the battle." Katherine explained.

"You're right, Katherine." Kingsley said before turning to the Aurors. "You will not arrest the Malfoys."

"But, sir-"

"That's an order." Kingsley said.

"Yes, sir." The Auror said, and then all three Aurors left.

"Katherine, the Malfoys are still under suspicion and, therefore, are your responsibility. Understand?" Kingsley asked.

"Yes." Katherine said. "Kingsley, you have to go secure the Ministry and get the word out that Voldemort's dead."

"I'll take the Aurors and the prisoners with me." Kingsley said. "What about the dead?"

"I'll take care of them." Katherine said. Kingsley nodded, and then left.

Katherine turned to the Malfoys and watched them as they got to their feet.

"So, I'm in charge." Katherine smirked amused. "Which means, Lucius take a shower and shave. Draco, sleep. And Narcissa, keep them out of trouble."

Narcissa came forward and hugged Katherine tightly.

"Why did you help us?" Narcissa whispered as she pulled out of the hug.

"Because we're family." Katherine smiled and Narcissa smiled back.

Then Draco and Lucius came forward and hugged Katherine. When they pulled back, Draco's hand slid down Katherine's left arm to her hand.

"You will have to stay in the Manor and lie low until I can get a pardon for you." Katherine told them.

"Can you get a pardon?" Narcissa asked.

"I'm the sister to the boy who killed Voldemort, of course I can get you a pardon." Katherine said cockily. "Now, go home."

Lucius and Narcissa started to leave, but Draco refused to let go of Katherine's hand. Katherine turned to him and kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you later." Katherine said with a reassuring smile. Draco pulled her in for another hug and held her tightly. "Draco, let go. It's alright."

Draco stepped back, and then followed his parents home. Katherine turned around and saw Neville. Neville had Gryffindor's sword resting against his leg and he was holding a cloth to a wound on the side of his head. He smiled at Katherine as she came up next to him.

"I have a job for you, if you're feeling up for it?" Katherine said.

"I'm still running off an adrenaline high, so I'm up for whatever you need me to do." Neville smiled and Katherine returned the smile.

"Can you get the younger students and send them to their Common Rooms?" Katherine said. "Get some other people to help you, and tell them to stay in their Common Rooms until nine in the morning."

"Can do." Neville said as he stood up. Katherine's eyes then fell on Colin Creevey's body.

"And send Dennis up here." Katherine said quietly. The smile left Neville's face as he followed her gaze. He nodded, and then left.

Katherine saw Professor McGonagall looking at the ruin of the Great Hall. Katherine walked over to her, and then touched the professor's shoulder. Professor McGonagall turned her head, saw Katherine, and sighed.

"So much destruction." McGonagall sighed.

"So many deaths." Katherine commented.

And then it hit her that it was her fault these people died. She had led them into battle. They had trusted her and gave her their lives and they died because of her. Katherine felt guilt clench around her heart.

"Miss Pete -I mean- Potter, how can I help you?" Professor McGonagall said, thankfully ripping Katherine away from her guilt. Katherine shook her head to clear her thoughts. As she lifted her head, she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione leaving the Great Hall.

"We need to discuss arrangements for the dead, and everyone who is here." Katherine said. "But I need to talk to Harry, Ron, and Hermione first. Shall we say that we will meet in the Headmaster's office in an hour?"

"I will see you then." Professor McGonagall said.

Katherine nodded and ran after Harry, Ron, and Hermione. As she was leaving the Great Hall, she saw her friends walking up the stairs.

"Hey, wait!" Katherine called. They turned around and smiled as Katherine caught up with them.

"I feel so stupid." Hermione said as Katherine joined them.

"Oh? Why?" Katherine asked.

"Because I didn't figure out you two were twins. Honestly, it is so obvious." Hermione said frustrated.

"Well, I was careful. And then I was extra careful after you figured out that Remus was a werewolf." Katherine said.

"I still feel stupid." Hermione griped.

Katherine smiled. "So, what are you doing?"

"Going to Dumbledore's office." Harry answered quietly.

"That's where I'm heading. I'll join you." Katherine said cheerfully.

She was happy because she was with her friends and the war was over. But then thoughts of the dead started to creep into her mind, but she pushed them away.

_Later. I'll deal with you later._ Katherine thought to the memories.

All four of them walked to the Headmaster's office in silence. Hermione and Ron held hands and were smiling softly at each other. A few moments later, they arrived at the Headmaster's office. Harry muttered the password and they went inside.

Katherine followed her friends into the room and over to Dumbledore's portrait. There was a twinkle in the ex-Headmaster's blue eyes.

"You did it, Harry." Dumbledore smiled softly. "And I hear that you are now the owner of all three Hallows."

Harry nodded and seemed to be working on getting rid of a lump in his throat. Katherine watched as Harry raised the Elder Wand to show Dumbledore. Another twinkle passed through Dumbledore's eyes as he saw the Elder Wand.

"And the Stone?" Dumbledore asked.

"Lost in the Forbidden Forest." Harry answered. Katherine involuntarily placed her left hand in her coat pocket and wrapped her fingers around the Resurrection Stone.

Then Harry took out his broken wand. He stared at the wand, then the Elder Wand, and then an idea brightened his face.

"_Reparo!_" Harry said. Katherine watched in amazement as Harry's wand fixed itself. Then Harry looked at the Elder Wand in disgust. He put his wand away, and then took the Elder Wand in both hands. He snapped the Wand and a concussion of air rocketed throughout the room.

Katherine was knocked backwards. As she tried to regain her footing, she tripped over something, and then fell into the Pensive.

"Dammit! Can't I ever not fall into one of these things?" Katherine complained as she landed on a grassy hilltop. Next to her was a boy with shoulder length black hair; he looked to be about ten.

Katherine eyed him curiously as he sat on the grass with his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his knees. Katherine was distracted from looking at him by the sounds of two girls laughing. Katherine turned around and saw two girls playing at the bottom of the hill.

Katherine watched as the red haired girl leaned down and picked up a stem. The stem grew a bud, and then the bud grew into a white flower.

"You're a freak, Lily!" The brown haired girl sneered before running away.

Katherine saw the boy walk past her and down the hill. He stopped a few meters from the red haired girl. He picked up a stem, changed it into a flower, and then floated it over to her.

"I'm Severus." The boy said.

"Lily." She smiled.

Katherine felt herself being pulled into a different memory. This time she was standing next to an eleven year old Snape in the Great Hall. They were surrounded by other nervous first years. Katherine saw Lily clinging nervously to Snape's arm on his other side.

"Sev, I'm nervous." Lily said.

"You'll be fine, Lils." Snape said calmly. "It's just a Sorting."

Then a younger Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. She was standing next to the Sorting Hat, which was on a stool. McGonagall rolled out a scroll and began to call the first years forward to get sorted.

Then she called out, "Black, Sirius."

Katherine smiled as she watched the eleven year old Sirius strut up to the Sorting Hat. He sat down on the stool and the Sorting Hat went on his head. His Sorting took a couple of moments and Katherine could have sworn she saw Sirius scowling.

Finally, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Sirius took off the hat and smirked at the Slytherin table. Katherine followed his gaze to a young woman who looked like Bellatrix, but nicer. Katherine decided that the woman was Andromeda.

_If Andromeda's here, that means that . . ._ Katherine thought as she looked over at the Hufflepuff table. Sure enough, Ted Tonks was there and sneakily winking at Andromeda, who was hiding a pleased smile.

"Evans, Lily." McGonagall said.

Lily nervously walked up to the Sorting Hat and reminded Katherine of when Hermione went up to get Sorted. Lily sat down and the Hat went on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Hat shouted.

Lily smiled and went over to the Gryffindor Table, sliding into a spot across from Sirius. Katherine watched the Sorting of Remus, Peter Pettigrew, and James.

When the Hat announced that James was in Gryffindor, he quickly went over to where Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Lily were sitting. He chose the seat next to her and introduced himself. Katherine smiled as she saw the Marauders and Lily together.

"Snape, Severus." McGonagall called.

Snape walked up and put the Hat on his head. It barely touched his head before it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

Snape joined the Slytherin table and sat next to Lucius Malfoy. Katherine noticed happily that Lucius was wearing a Prefect's badge and that a fourteen year old Narcissa was sitting happily next to him.

Katherine didn't miss how Snape glared at James.

Katherine felt the pull again and she was taken into a different memory. A twenty one year old Snape was waiting on a rocky cliff. He was pacing back and forth and looked to be extremely upset. There was a crack of Apparation and both Katherine and Snape turned to see Dumbledore. This Dumbledore reminded Katherine of the one she had seen during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. He was scary, formidable, and looked like he was going to rip Snape to pieces.

"Why did you call me, Snape?" Dumbledore asked impatiently.

"He thinks that the prophecy means the Potters." Snape said hurried, sounding like he was on the brink of tears.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Dumbledore asked, sounding unimpressed.

"He is going to kill them. Keep Lily safe, please." Snape begged.

"Why do you want to keep her safe?" Dumbledore asked.

"Because I . . . I love her." Snape said.

A transformation took over Dumbledore. He went from being cold and uncaring to softening and gaining the familiar twinkle in his eyes.

"Will you protect her?" Snape asked desperately.

"I cannot protect just her." Dumbledore said softly.

"Then, hide them all! Keep her -them- safe. Please." Snape begged.

"And what will you give me in return?" Dumbledore asked.

"Anything."

Katherine felt the pull and she was sucked into another memory. This time Snape was in Dumbledore's office. Katherine looked at a calendar on Dumbledore's desk and saw that it was June, 1981. A month before her first birthday.

"The Dark Lord doesn't know about the girl." Snape said. "He thinks the boy is their only child."

"What are you suggesting, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, looking like he had aged ten years in less than one.

"The Dark Lord won't stop until he has killed the boy. Send the girl to live with someone else." Snape said.

"Like who?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't know. Let Lily choose, but the girl needs to be put out of harm's way." Snape said.

"Are you implying that my Fidelius Charm will not work?" Dumbledore lightly joked.

"No, but there's a spy in the Order. We are lucky that the spy doesn't know about the girl." Snape said.

"Alright. I'll tell Lily and James that Katherine needs to live with someone else." Dumbledore said.

Katherine felt the tug again and she was taken into another memory. This memory was in Dumbledore's office, but the calendar said it was October, 1981. Snape was pacing around the room, tears streaming down his face. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.

"You said you would protect her!" Snape cried.

"Severus," Dumbledore sighed as he raised his head.

"She's dead!" Snape yelled.

"Severus, I need your help protecting her children." Dumbledore said.

"Why should I help you? You failed to protect her!" Snape yelled.

"They have her eyes." Dumbledore said. Snape stopped pacing and looked at Dumbledore, trying to figure out if Dumbledore was lying.

"Fine."

Katherine was then pulled into another memory. This time she recognized the destroyed house in Godric's Hollow. Snape went up the path, through the broken front door, and into the hallway.

Katherine followed, and then stopped when she reached her father's body. A strangled cry left her mouth as she saw her dad lying motionless on the floor. His glasses were broken and askew on his face.

Katherine had always felt sad when she thought about her parents' deaths, but actually seeing it was horrible. Katherine felt tears coming down her face. But Snape kept walking, not sparing a glance for his rival at Hogwarts.

Katherine followed Snape up the stairs and into a bedroom where a baby was crying. Katherine heard Snape cry out, and then saw him fall to his knees. Katherine saw her mother lying motionless on the floor and Snape sweeping her body into his arms.

Katherine fell to her knees and cried freely now. It hit her. Her parents were dead. She always knew that they were, but seeing it made it seem real.

Katherine felt the pull again and she welcomed it. She landed back in the Great hall, but this time she was at the staff table. She looked and saw Professor McGonagall leading in the new batch of first years. Katherine started in surprise when she saw her eleven year old self standing next to a very bushy haired Hermione.

Katherine watched the Sorting, while wishing she could go back in time so that she could smack Quirrell in the back of the head.

"Peters, Katherine." McGonagall announced.

"Why does the boy look like Potter, but she can't look exactly like Lily?" Katherine heard Snape muttered under his breath.

Katherine watched her younger self walk up the steps. Then her younger self raised her head and Katherine heard Snape softly gasp.

"But she has Lily's eyes. She even walks like Lily after Lily got her essays back." Katherine heard Snape mutter again.

Katherine laughed as she realized that she had inherited her mother's arrogant walk. But Katherine walked arrogantly all the time, not just when she got her essays back.

Katherine then realized why it always seemed like Snape treated her better than the other Gryffindors. Though he did not reward her points daily like he did to the Slytherins, he never took points from her.

Then Katherine was pulled into another memory. She landed on her knees in Dumbledore's office. This time Dumbledore had his black hand from last year and Snape was waving his wand around the hand.

"I've contained the curse to your hand." Snape said with a frown. "But you will die within the year."

"Severus, you must kill me. I know Voldemort has instructed the Malfoy boy to do it, but you must." Dumbledore said.

"You can't ask me to do that." Snape said.

"I can and you will, Severus. Draco will never be able to kill me and, because of that, I will suffer a long horrible death from Voldemort's followers." Dumbledore said.

"Fine." Snape agreed as he stood up.

"And Severus," Dumbledore said. "There are things Harry must be told, but not until the very end."

"What things?" Snape asked.

"Harry must die and Voldemort must kill him, but the moment has to be when Voldemort is at his weakest." Dumbledore said.

"You were raising him to die?" Snape asked incredulous.

"It has to happen." Dumbledore said.

"Is that why you hid Katherine? Is that why you taught her Occlumency? So that Harry could die and she could kill Voldemort? So that she was prepared to kill Voldemort if she had to?" Snape asked.

"Yes, Katherine is Plan B." Dumbledore said.

"You can't do that!" Snape snapped.

"Severus, are you telling me that you actually care for the children?" Dumbledore asked almost mockingly.

Snape took out his wand and then said, "_Expecto Patronum!_"

A silvery doe came out of the wand and pranced around Dumbledore's office before disappearing back into Snape's wand.

"After all this time?" Dumbledore asked incredulous.

"Always." Snape said.

Then Katherine was pushed out of the Pensive. She landed on her feet and she looked at Harry with shock written all over her face.

"Harry," She breathed. "Snape-"

"I know." Harry whispered.

"And you . . . are -were- a Horcrux?" Katherine asked, her brain fizzling as she tried to process all the information she had seen.

"You didn't guess?" Hermione asked. "Honestly, Katherine, you knew that you were twins. Didn't it strike you as odd that Harry could talk to snakes and you couldn't?"

"Yeah, I thought it was weird, but I also thought, 'Hey, it's Harry; weird shit only happens to him.'" Katherine said.

The other three rolled their eyes.

"Oh, how we missed your humor, Katherine." Ron said.


	62. Chapter 62

**I've been lazy, but here's a chapter. So, you better enjoy.**

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><p><em>Chapter 62<em>

The door to the Headmaster's office opened and Professor McGonagall walked in. She raised her eyebrows at the four teenagers.

"Are you ready for our meeting, Miss Pet-Potter?" McGonagall asked.

"Of course. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, go to Gryffindor Tower and get some rest." Katherine said.

"Will you come?" Hermione asked.

"Later. I have some things to do." Katherine smiled.

"Alright." Hermione said before she and the boys left the office.

Professor McGonagall walked to and around the desk and sat down behind it. Katherine chose a chair in front of the desk and sat down.

"Would you like something to drink?" McGonagall asked as she rummaged through the drawers and pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey. "Severus always has the best stuff."

Katherine smiled and accepted a glass of Firewhiskey. She downed it, poured herself another, downed that, and then poured herself another glass.

"We need to make arrangements for the dead." Katherine said, fighting off the burn in her throat from the alcohol. "I suggest that there be a memorial cemetery made."

"Where?" Professor McGonagall said as she pulled out a map of Hogwarts and the grounds.

"Over here. A little ways from the gates." Katherine said, pointing to a spot on the map.

McGonagall nodded and Katherine used the silence to drink her Firewhiskey.

"I'll go around and figure out who is dead. Then I'll send a letter to the guardians and ask whether they want their dead buried here or sent to them." Katherine said.

"That is a great amount of work for one person." McGonagall noted.

"I can handle it." Katherine said, finishing her Firewhiskey and pouring another glass.

"What about the Death Eater bodies?" McGonagall asked.

Katherine stiffened and an unreadable expression crossed her face. She banished it quickly though and McGonagall did not comment on it.

"They will be returned to their families." Katherine said with a blank face.

"And Voldemort's body?" McGonagall asked.

An idea crossed Katherine's mind and caused her to smirk in pleasure.

"Oh, I know the perfect place for him." Katherine said, a glint in her eye.

"Is there anything else we need to talk about?" McGonagall asked, not bothering to ask Katherine what she planned to do with Voldemort's body.

"Reconstruction of Hogwarts. I'll ask people to volunteer, but those that don't will need to go home. Those that volunteer will need places to sleep." Katherine said.

"We'll make the arrangements." McGonagall said. "I have an idea, as well."

Katherine took a sip from her drink and raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.

"No one learned anything this year, therefore, I am offering a repeat year." McGonagall said.

"That means that . . ." Katherine said, realization dawning on her face.

"You, your brother, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger will be able to take your seventh year." McGonagall said.

Katherine smiled wryly. "For some reason, I think Hermione will enjoy that idea more than the rest of us."

McGonagall smiled softly. "Yes, I believe Miss Granger will love to take her seventh year and I believe I may be seeing you next year."

"You caught me. I am actually Hermione's slave; destined to serve her every whim." Katherine said, her lips twitching.

McGonagall bit down a laugh, rose, and went to the fireplace. She grabbed a handful of Floo and threw it. Emerald flames burst, and then settled so that McGonagall could stick her head inside. Katherine waited patiently for a few moments, and then McGonagall pulled out of the fireplace. The flames burst again and settled in order for Katherine to see Kingsley's head.

"Katherine, the Ministry is under our control. I've sent Aurors to release the people imprisoned by Death Eaters in Azkaban. The Wizengamot has been reestablished with its old members and is meeting within the hour to decide the new Minister." Kingsley reported.

"Who is in the running?" Katherine asked in her commander's voice.

"Arthur, but I doubt he'll accept. Armond Resée and I are also in the running." Kingsley responded.

"And the chance of this Resée becoming Minister?" Katherine asked.

"He has spoken of returning to France and I believe he will refuse to be the Minister." Kingsley said.

"So that means that you will be Minister." Katherine said, smiling.

"It appears so." Kingsley said with a small smile.

"Kingsley, I was thinking that the Order needs to continue until we completely reconstruct the Wizarding World." McGonagall said.

"I agree, Minerva, but I will be busy being Minister and you will be busy running Hogwarts. So, we need to decide on who the next Head of the Order will be." Kingsley said, adopting a wry smile.

"Well, Arthur won't want to do it, neither will Molly since they are mourning poor Fred. The other members will refuse because they'll want to lick their own wounds and not take responsibility for some time." Minerva said, smiling a small smile of her own.

"What about Harry?" Kingsley suggested.

"Harry does not want to be a leader." Katherine interjected.

"Nor is he a member of the Order." McGonagall added.

"He also will be in mourning, grieving about everyone who died. You know that Harry feels this irrational need to take the blame for the deaths of all who died." Katherine said with an amused smile and glint in her eye.

_But only the General who lead them into battle can take the blame for those deaths._ Katherine thought, keeping a smile on her face, but the amused glint left her eye.

"So, you are saying that we need a member of the Order." Kingsley said, not noticing the change in Katherine.

"Who is a natural leader."

"Fearsome in battle."

"And in life."

"And able to handle any Death Eaters who got away."

"I think I know who it should be." McGonagall said, turning around to face Katherine. "Miss Pet-Potter, what say you?"

"Me?" Katherine exclaimed, looking genuinely surprised.

"Yes, you." McGonagall said.

"Katherine, everyone followed you without question. You are the perfect choice." Kingsley said.

Katherine looked at each of the adults in turn. She could not believe they wanted her to be the Head of the Order. She had not even finished school yet.

"Katherine, you already have ideas on how to rebuild. As the Head of the Order, you'll be able to put those ideas in to action." McGonagall said.

"Alright, I'll do it." Katherine said, rising. "Kingsley, I will write a list of the dead Death Eaters. You write a list of the captive Death Eaters. We will use the lists to figure out who is missing and who we need to track down."

"Okay, and is there anything else?" Kingsley asked.

"The Order will have to guard Azkaban until the Aurors can be organized." Katherine said.

"Already ahead of you." Kingsley smiled.

"Then I have nothing else. I will speak to you later, Minister." Katherine said. Kingsley nodded and removed his head from the fireplace.

McGonagall moved over to Katherine.

"Are the wards still down?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, why?" McGonagall asked.

"Keep them down. I need to be able to Apparate in and out of the castle." Katherine said.

"Why?" McGonagall asked.

"We'll go downstairs and make announcements. Then you will go to bed and I will take care of the dead." Katherine said, ignoring her teacher.

"Surely the dead can wait. Would you not like to sleep, too?" McGonagall asked.

"We need to clear the Great Hall and clean it so that we can feed everyone." Katherine said.

"You need rest." McGonagall said.

Katherine picked up her glass and finished her drink in one gulp.

"I'll sleep later."

* * *

><p>Katherine and McGonagall stood at the podium in front of the staff table in the Great Hall. McGonagall stood in front of it, while Katherine stood a little ways behind and to the left of McGonagall.<p>

"As Headmistress, I have decided that this current school year was a waste of time, therefore, next year will be a repeat year. All students are welcome to return next year." McGonagall announced.

Katherine stole a look at Hermione and saw that she was barely suppressing excitement at the idea of more school. Katherine felt her lip twitch, but she kept from smiling. She would not smile joyously in front of the mourners. It wouldn't be proper.

"Now, Miss Pet-Potter has a few words." McGonagall said.

"Don't worry, one day you'll learn my name." Katherine whispered to her professor as they switch positions.

Katherine pulled out a clipboard with a sheet of paper and a pen on it and held it out for the people to see.

"I am setting up a group to help reconstruct Hogwarts. If you would like to help, sign the paper." Katherine waved her wand and the clipboard attached itself to the front of the podium. "For those who do not wish to help, you will be going home on Friday. Letters will be sent out to your parents and guardians.

"Also, a memorial cemetery will be created. Only those who fought at Hogwarts will be eligible to be buried there. The guardians of a dead person, however, will decide if they want it buried here or if they want to bury it themselves.

"And lastly, if you need to sleep, you need to return to your dormitory. Adults, if you need to sleep, I am sure that a student will be happy to let you in. Good night." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Katherine found herself in front of the antechamber of the Great Hall. The same place that she had watched Harry and Cedric go into after they were announced to be the Triwizard Tournament champions. This was where all the Death Eater bodies were placed.<p>

Two men passed her, carrying Snape's snake-attacked body to the antechamber.

"Excuse me," Katherine said, halting them. "What are you doing?"

"We're putting him with the rest of the Death Eaters." One responded.

"He's not a Death Eater." Katherine declared.

"He's not?" The other asked disbelieving.

"No, put him over there." Katherine commanded, pointing to the bodies of the Hogwarts defenders.

The two men looked at each other, but then shrugged and did what Katherine said. Katherine watched them until they were done, and then went inside the antechamber.

Voldemort's body was the closest to the door, Bellatrix's was next to his, and Rodolphus's with his head on his stomach was next to her. Katherine stopped in front of Voldemort's body, leaned down, grabbed his wrist, and then Apparated to a place Harry had told her about.

It was a graveyard and up on a hill was an abandoned mansion. Katherine dropped Voldemort's body and turned around. There was a tomb with the name Tom Riddle written on it. Katherine smirked and waved her wand. The ground next to the tomb popped out and created a grave. Katherine unceremoniously threw Voldemort's body into the hole, waved her wand again, and the ground replaced itself. She waved her wand and a tombstone appeared at the head of the grave. Katherine waved her wand and the name Tom Riddle Jr. appeared on the tombstone.

"Rest in peace, Tommy. Your Muggle daddy loves you." Katherine smirked.

She turned on the spot and landed back in the antechamber. She walked until she reached Bellatrix's body and stood at her late aunt's feet. Katherine crouched down and stared at the dead witch's face.

"I should hate you." Katherine whispered. "I should hate you for what you did to me, but I can't. I actually kind of like you. You're the only person who didn't treat me like a child. You dueled me like I was an adult and I'm glad for it. I learned how to truly fight thanks to you and survived this war because of you. So . . . thanks."

Katherine paused for a moment. Then she pulled out the black Hawthorne curved wand from the inside of her jacket. She twirled it and looked at Bellatrix.

"I debated giving your wand to Narcissa. I thought it would be nice if she had something to remember her sister by, but then I thought that she wouldn't like to remember post-Azkaban Bellatrix." Katherine took a deep breath. "And then I also realized that a witch should never be separated from her wand, even in death."

So Katherine placed Bellatrix's wand in her left hand since the right was holding the wand Bellatrix had been using after losing her wand. Katherine stood and looked down at her aunt.

"I'll take care of Narcissa. I promise." Katherine said.

Then she turned on her heel with the intention of dealing with the Light dead before dealing with the Dark dead. But she stopped in front of the door and barely turned her head to the right.

"And I'll take care of Andromeda, too."


	63. Chapter 63

**I know it has been a long time and I am sorry. I hope to start updating more regularly, but I don't know. So, enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 63<p>

Katherine spent most of the night writing down the names of the dead and sending letters to the guardians. Most of the replies said that they wanted to bury their own dead, but about a tenth of them agreed to let their dead be buried in the new Hogwarts Memorial Cemetery. All the bodies were gone from the Great Hall, except for one at that point.

There were only a few hours until dawn when Katherine cautiously approached the Weasley family. She had saved them for last in the hope that she would only have to deal with one upset Weasley, but only Ron and Ginny had gone to bed. The rest of the family, including Fleur, were circled around Fred's body. George was in the same position that Katherine had seen him in hours ago. He was staring in disbelief at the body of his twin.

Katherine took a deep breath and closed the distance between them. All the Weasleys except George looked up at her when she joined them.

"I'm here to ask if you want Fred buried in the Hogwarts Cemetery." Katherine whispered.

"No," Mr. Weasley said. "We have a family cemetery; we'll bury him there."

Then George's head snapped up, he leapt to his feet, and stormed away from his family. Mrs. Weasley tried grabbing his arm to stop him, but Katherine stopped her. Katherine looked over her shoulder and watched George leave the Great Hall.

"Leave him alone," Katherine said. "He needs some time to think."

The Weasleys nodded, and then Mr. Weasley looked curiously at Katherine.

"I suppose you want us to leave, Katherine, so you can get the Great Hall ready for breakfast." Mr. Weasley said.

Katherine shifted embarrassedly because she hated being rude.

"Yes please." She muttered to her feet.

"We understand." Mr. Weasley said as he picked up Fred's body. As the family left, they each hugged Katherine good-bye.

Soon, Katherine was the only person left in the Great Hall. With a pop, a house elf appeared before her.

"You can set up for breakfast." Katherine said.

"Okays, mistress." The house elf said before leaving.

Katherine looked around at the piles of stone, overturned tables, and black scorch marks on the walls. In her mind's eye, she replayed the battle. She saw herself flying off the table, and then charging at the Death Eaters. She saw the fighting.

And she saw the dying.

Katherine ran out of the Great Hall, through the entrance, and out into the courtyard. She breathed in the night air and forced herself to calm down.

A house elf appeared in front of her, holding out a glass of wine. She smiled in thanks and drank it in one gulp.

And the world suddenly looked better.

* * *

><p>The castle was awake. Most of the older students were helping dig the graves at the Hogwarts cemetery. Katherine, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were in charge of the tombstones for each person. But Katherine made sure that she would be the one to bury Tonks, Remus, and Snape.<p>

It was nearly lunch time when Katherine started digging the graves for the Lupins. She was going to do it by hand, but decided against it as the day started to get hotter and hotter. She buried husband and wife in the same grave and took great care in making sure that their hands stayed intertwined.

Harry joined her as she was writing on the gravestone. He did not say anything, he just took out his wand and wrote Remus's part on the stone. When the twins finished, Katherine turned to him.

"Help me bury Snape?" Katherine asked. Harry nodded, but did not look at her.

Together, the Potter siblings dug the grave for the man that saved their lives. They did it in silence, neither attempting to speak. When they buried the man, they each wrote their own message to him on his gravestone. Harry wrote **An Unsung Hero**, while Katherine wrote **A Man Who Loved Too Well**. Once they finished, they each went their separate ways.

Katherine went around the cemetery and found that the job was done. She dismissed everyone to lunch and walked over to Hermione. Ron and Harry were already half-way to the castle.

"Did you get any sleep?" Hermione asked accusingly.

"I was too busy, I guess." Katherine shrugged.

"You need to sleep." Hermione nagged.

"I will." Katherine said with a sheepish smile.

"You better." Hermione said.

"I will, Hermy." Katherine grinned as she playfully hit Hermione in the shoulder with her own.

"Don't you dare call me that." Hermione said warningly.

"Call you what? Hermy?" Katherine said, lips twitching.

"Yes!"

"Yes call you Hermy?"

"No!"

"No what?"

"No, don't call me Hermy!"

"Who called you Hermy?"

"You did!"

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"When did I do that?"

"A few minutes ago."

"If you say so."

"Katherine!"

"Yes?" Katherine said sweetly.

"You're an idiot." Hermione grumbled.

"Love you too, Hermy." Katherine grinned.

"Don't call me that!" Hermione shouted.

"Call you what?" Katherine said innocently.

"Her- Oh! Never mind!" Hermione said, throwing her arms up in frustration.

Katherine threw back her head and laughed. She threw her arm around Hermione's shoulders and grinned.

"I missed you." Katherine smiled.

"No, you missed messing with me." Hermione said as she threw Katherine's arm off, and then playfully pushed Katherine to the side.

"Well, can't I miss you and miss messing with you?" Katherine grinned as she shoved Hermione.

"No. It's one or the other, Katie." Hermione matched Katherine's mischievous grin.

"Don't call me that." Katherine scowled.

"Call you what?" Hermione asked innocently as her lips pulled into a smile.

"You're a twit." Katherine muttered.

Hermione just smiled.

"Anyways," Katherine said. "What are you doing this afternoon?"

"I don't have anything planned." Hermione said.

"Good because I thought we could go get your parents." Katherine said.

"What?"

"Get your parents. They are still in Australia, aren't they?"

"Yes, but-"

"But what? I promised you that we would get them once the war was over."

Hermione paused a moment as if she was processing the information. "When will we leave?"

"After lunch." Katherine said as she caught Hermione smiling out of the corner of her eye.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, Katherine and Hermione found themselves walking along a beach in Sydney, Australia.<p>

"Katherine, for the last time, you can't go swim with the Great White sharks!" Hermione said exasperated.

"Fine." Katherine pouted.

Hermione rolled her eyes and led the way to the address of her parents' house. After a few moments of walking, Hermione stopped in front of a two-story beach house.

"We're here." Hermione whispered.

"Alright, here's the plan. We knock on the door, you hit them with the countercharm, and I'll catch them when they fall." Katherine said, waving her arms to illustrate her points.

"What kind of plan is that?" Hermione asked, fighting a smile.

"Oh?" Katherine said, raising her eyebrows. "You have a better one?"

Hermione thought a moment, and then sighed in defeat. "No."

"Ready?" Katherine asked, smiling at her victory.

"Yes." Hermione said, rolling her eyes at Katherine's smile.

Katherine smiled encouragingly as she led the way to the front door. She watched Hermione pull out her wand, and then Katherine knocked on the door. They waited a moment before the door was opened by Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Hello, can we help you?" Mrs. Granger asked, smiling, not recognizing her own daughter. Katherine squeezed Hermione's hand in comfort.

Katherine ducked as Hermione hit her parents with the countercharm. The Grangers stiffened as the light hit them, their eyes closed, and then they started to fall. Katherine jumped up and caught both of them.

"I suppose we should go inside and catch them up." Katherine said, holding both of them.

"I guess so." Hermione said.

"Hold your mom for a sec." Katherine said. Hermione took her mother and watched as Katherine disappeared inside, carrying Mr. Granger. A moment later, Katherine returned and gathered Mrs. Granger into her arms. Hermione followed Katherine inside and to the living room, where Katherine placed Mrs. Granger on the couch next to her husband.

Katherine turned around and saw that Hermione was worrying her bottom lip. She frowned as she closed the distance between them. Katherine then pulled Hermione into a hug. Hermione started, but then returned the embrace. They let go after a moment.

"They won't be mad, Hermione." Katherine whispered as Hermione looked down.

"How do you know?" whispered Hermione.

"They'll be glad you're alive and they'll understand what you had to do." Katherine said, and then said very softly. "I wish I had done the same."

Hermione was about to ask Katherine what she meant, but then she remember about how the Peters had died when Katherine sent them to India.

"It wasn't your fault." Hermione said. Katherine's green eyes locked with Hermione's and they seemed to be saying _You Don't Know_, but then the look was gone and Katherine's face was blank.

"Shouldn't we attend to your parents?" Katherine said with a soft smile on her face.

"Katherine," Hermione began, but then she saw Katherine's jaw clench. "Alright, I'll wake them up."

Katherine walked across the room to the window that overlooked the beach. She heard Hermione whisper a spell and she heard the Grangers' gasps as they woke up.

"Hi." Hermione said quietly.

"Her-Hermione?" Mrs. Granger whispered.

"What happened?" Mr. Granger asked.

Katherine listened as Hermione gave her parents the quick version of what had happened over the past year. Katherine noted that Hermione left out the part about being captured and taken to Malfoy Manor. Katherine also noticed that Hermione skimmed over the battle. When she finished, Katherine turned around to see the Grangers' reactions. Mrs. Granger was staring at her daughter like she had sprouted another head. Mr. Granger raised his hand in her direction.

"Wait, let me get this straight." Mr. Granger said looking at his daughter with an angry expression. "You stayed alone in a tent with two boys for months."

Katherine started laughing to the point where she was doubled over. When she looked up, she saw Mr. Granger glaring at her.

"I'm sorry." Katherine breathed between laughs. "It's just that your daughter had been fighting in a battle where she could have been killed and you're focusing on the fact that she stayed with Harry and Ron."

"Nothing happened, daddy!" Hermione interjected before he and Katherine got into an argument.

Mr. Granger returned his glare to Hermione, who didn't back down. He was about to say something, but his wife put her hand on his arm and warningly said his name. He let the matter drop.

"Why did you wipe our memories, dear?" Mrs. Granger whispered.

Hermione turned pink and looked down at her hands. She knew the answer, but that didn't make it any easier to tell her parents why.

"It was the best way to keep you safe." Katherine said with her back to the Grangers and looking out the window. "Just sending you away wouldn't have been enough."

Katherine could feel all three of them watching her. She forced herself to stay calm as she thought about the Peters. Her hand shook slightly, so she clenched it to make it stop.

"Katherine," She heard Hermione whisper. "It wasn't your fault."

Katherine took a deep breath before turning around and softly smiling at the Grangers.

"It doesn't matter now." Katherine said. "Now, we need to get ready to go back to England."

Hermione told her parents about how she and Katherine created the story at their work that the Grangers were trying their hand at Australian dentistry. Hermione also told them how their house was ready for them to move back in and there were no money problems thanks to Katherine.

"What about here, Hermione? We have many legal things to take care of before we leave, as well as packing." Mr. Granger said.

"I will take care of the legal matters." Katherine said. "You three can pack."

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"Of course. It won't be a problem." Katherine smiled reassuringly as she walked across the room, down the hall, and through the front door.

As she walked past the window to the living room, she saw the Grangers holding each other tightly. Her hands clenched at her sides and began shaking. She was envious that Hermione had gotten her parents back, despite how horrible that sounded, Katherine was angry. She had tried to save her Muggle family, but they were dead.

_ Why does Hermione get the happy ending?_ Katherine thought before she squashed the thought in guilt. She could not be jealous about Hermione nor wish that the Grangers were dead.

Katherine quickly moved away from the window and walked away quickly. She could not focus on her guilt about the Peters; she had to settle the Grangers' legal troubles.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Katherine had developed a headache from straining her eyes reading all the legal crap the lawyer kept putting in front of her face. But with the money she inherited from the Peters, she was able to get through it rather quickly.<p>

At the moment, she was strolling through Wizarding Sydney's equivalent of Diagon Alley. She needed something to take care of her headache and take care of the guilt that hadn't left her since seeing the Grangers.

She pulled on her cloak, tossed the hood over her head to make sure her face was semi-obscured, and walked into a bar called The Joey's Foot. She walked to the bar and sat down. The bartender came over and asked her what she wanted.

"Firewhiskey. Quickly please." She said. As he poured her shot, he peered at her curiously.

"You from Britain?" He asked.

Katherine downed her shot and nodded.

He filled her glass while he said, "The last news we heard from Britain was that the Dark Lord was attacking Hogwarts."

Katherine was suddenly aware that the bar had gotten steadily more quiet as the customers realized that someone might tell a tale.

Katherine's hand wrapped around her shot glass. She was leaning forward so that only her mouth and nose were seen. She downed her second drink and smiled.

"You're behind on the times then." She said, noticing that some of the young men had slid next to her.

"Can you tell us about it?" The bartender asked.

"I don't know. My throat's rather dry." She said, looking at the young men next to her. They jumped to order her a beer. One with dirty blonde hair managed to get her a beer by jumping over the other boys. Katherine grinned at him when he handed it to her, he smirked back. She took a sip, and then told the entire bar about the Battle of Hogwarts.

She told them about every death she had witnessed, but she spoke of herself in third person. She told them about Katherine and Harry confronting Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, and she also mentioned how Katherine was Harry's twin.

She told them how Harry faked his death, how Katherine created a powerful shield to defend everyone as they ran inside, how Rodolphus Lestrange had died, how Bellatrix Lestrange died. And she told how Harry and Voldemort dueled.

"Their spells weren't working against each other and Voldemort was getting more and more pissed." Katherine paused to take a sip of one of her multitude of beers that the boys kept ordering her. "Then Voldemort yelled out the Killing Curse, Harry Potter yelled out the Disarming Spell, and Voldemort's spell rebounded. Katherine Potter ran over and declared him dead."

"The Dark Lord's dead?" The dirty blonde haired guy said.

"Yes." Katherine smiled in relief.

"Do you know Katherine Potter? She sounds like such a badass." One of the young men said as the others murmured in agreement.

"Rather well." Katherine smiled to herself.

"You think you could introduce us." The cute dirty blonde haired man grinned as he ran his fingers down her right arm. Katherine grinned at him and leaned in close to him.

"I could do it right now." Katherine grinned as she pulled back her hood. "Say hello to Katherine Peters."

Every man literally jumped over themselves to buy her drinks.


	64. Chapter 64

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 64<em>

Several hours later, Hermione jerked awake from her position on the couch to hear someone singing really loudly and really badly outside. Hermione walked over to the window and saw that person start to walk up the path of her parents' Sydney house. She pulled out her wand and went to stand in the entryway to the hall, giving her a clear shot at the door.

Then Hermione heard a thud and an oath as if someone had walked into the door. It happened again, and again, and again. Hermione blinked in confusion as it kept happening. After the eleventh time, she went to the door and opened it.

"Door's broken." The person slurred as she swayed in front of Hermione.

"Katherine?" Hermione asked as Katherine staggered forward and into the light.

"Present." Katherine slurred with a stupid grin on her face. She breathed on Hermione as she went inside.

"Yuck! What have you been doing?" Hermione scrunched her nose as she smelled the alcohol.

"Oh, just some boys at a bar." Katherine said, grinning bawdily.

"Katherine!"

"Oh relax. I wasn't drunk enough for that." Katherine said over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen.

Hermione followed her, and then leaned on the door frame to the kitchen as she watched Katherine stagger around looking for something.

"I didn't know you drink." Hermione commented.

Katherine was opening a cupboard and did not look at her as she replied. "You've been gone for a year; you don't know what I do."

Hermione blinked, taken aback before countering, "You were the one who told us to go!"

Katherine swung around, fire flashing in her green eyes.

"You could have waited!" Something caught in Katherine's throat when she spoke and Hermione noticed that she clenched her hands.

"We didn't know where you were." Hermione said quietly, watching her friend warily.

The fire grew. "I was right behind you the entire time!"

Hermione didn't know what to say. Katherine just stood there looking at Hermione with clenched hands. Hermione stood there wondering if this was the real Katherine. Hermione had never seen Katherine get angry at her friends even when they were awful to her fifth year. Yet, here was a Katherine who was angry, bitter, and resentful. Was this the real Katherine? One that didn't hide behind a mask of emotional control?

Hermione stared at Katherine for a couple of moments, trying to figure out what to say. Slowly, she watched as the fire dissipated from Katherine's green eyes, and then a blank, happy look took over. Hermione watched as Katherine went back to searching through her parents' cupboards.

Hermione struggled for several moments, trying to figure out what to say to a drunk, apparently emotional, Katherine. Hermione analyzed her friend and found that she could not find an explanation for the irrational behavior, except perhaps the fact Katherine hadn't slept since the night before the Battle.

But Katherine had been sleep deprived before and for a much greater amount of time, and she had never been so irrational. Hermione had watched Katherine during their fifth year function almost normally without sleep, so why was she irrational now?

Katherine's slamming of cupboard doors ripped Hermione from her thoughts.

"What are you looking for?" Hermione asked slightly annoyed, but glad that she had already sent her parents back to England so they weren't woken by the noise.

"Beer." Katherine replied, looking through the last of the bottom cupboards.

"You've had enough." Hermione said.

Katherine whipped around, defiance flashed across her face. "Fine, I'll go back to the bar then."

Katherine started walking to the exit of the kitchen, but Hermione blocked her way.

"No." Hermione said firmly.

"Excuse me?" Katherine said, green eyes lighting up in barely controlled anger. Hermione stood up straighter and started to stare down Katherine. It didn't work because Katherine made to push through her. Hermione pulled out her wand and stuck it in Katherine's face.

"No." Hermione repeated as Katherine's eyes focused on the wand, and then narrowed.

"Hermione." Katherine growled in a voice that reminded Hermione about how dangerous Katherine could be when she wanted to. Hermione suddenly felt fearful that this drunk, nearly out-of-control Katherine would hurt her.

"No more drinks, Katherine." Hermione said, hoping Katherine couldn't hear her fear.

"Hermione." Katherine growled again as she took a menacing step closer to Hermione, who was pretty sure that Katherine was close to tossing her across the room.

"No, Katherine!" Hermione said forcefully, pushing Katherine, who looked surprised as she stumbled a few steps back. "No more! Any more and you'll pass out!"

"THAT'S THE POINT!" Katherine suddenly yelled, her eyes filled with dangerous fire as she got right into Hermione's face, the wand -not that she noticed- was digging into her cheek. "THEN I WON'T HAVE TO THINK!"

Hermione blinked; she was at a lost for what to say. Katherine's behavior didn't make sense. Was she upset about being away from them for months? But that doesn't explain why she felt the need to get snockered.

"Hermione." Katherine growled again. "Move."

"Not if you're going to the bar." Hermione said firmly.

"Hermione!" Katherine said through gritted teeth.

"NO!" Hermione yelled, pushing Katherine away from her. Katherine stumbled, a red circle impressed into her cheek from pressing her face against Hermione's wand.

Katherine's eyes flashed dangerously and Hermione knew that she was in trouble. Katherine had that look on her face that she wore when fighting Bellatrix Lestrange. Katherine started forward, pulling her arm back as she did. Hermione knew that Katherine was going to hit her and that it was going to hurt like hell.

"I thought you hated it when people hurt me. I thought you were disgusted with yourself when you hurt me." Hermione whispered.

Katherine froze. Despite being drunk and hardly in control of herself, she completely froze. Her arm froze in mid-strike, and her entire body stopped moving forward. Her green eyes lost part of their fire and blinked in confusion.

With a frustrated growl, Katherine dropped her arm and ran it through her brown hair. She looked down and when she looked up Hermione saw tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to bed." Katherine said firmly and the tears disappeared. Hermione moved out of her way and listened as Katherine stomped up the stairs, and then slammed the door to one of the bedrooms.

Hermione wearily leaned against the wall and wondered what the hell had just happened.

* * *

><p>The light hurt. The damn birds chirping outside hurt. The waves crashing against the freaking shore hurt. The bed was too hard. The pillow too soft to support her heavy head, which was pounding horribly.<p>

Katherine groaned as she realized that she would have to leave her bed. She didn't sleep at all the night before; rather she found a bottle of Firewhiskey in her backpack and spent the rest of the night drinking before collapsing into her bed.

She groaned again as she started swaying the moment she stood up. Katherine leaned against the mattress until the dizziness passed. Slowly, she walked out of the room and down the hallway to the stairs. Every step down the stairs sent a piercing jolt through her head, causing it to hurt even more.

When she finally made it into the kitchen, she barely managed to pour herself a cup of coffee; she drank it black because she didn't think she could handle putting sugar in it. She sat down on one of the barstools, rested her elbows on the counter, and put her head in her hands. Her head really hurt.

"Good morning!" Hermione trilled rather too loudly for Katherine's taste.

Katherine grunted in response as she heard Hermione move through the kitchen.

"I have something for you." Hermione said playfully cheerful.

Katherine barely looked up from her hands to see Hermione on the other side of the counter holding a vial with a nasty green potion. Katherine grunted in curiosity.

"It's a hangover remedy." Hermione said.

Katherine reached for it only to have her hand smacked. Katherine shook her hand to stop the stinging. Katherine raised her eyebrow in questioning.

"I will give it to you, but you have to answer my question first." Hermione said.

Katherine's eyes narrowed. "I don't think I want it that badly."

Hermione raised her eyebrow sarcastically, and then slammed her cup on to the counter. Katherine grimaced in pain as the sound caused her head to ache even more.

"Fine, fine, I'll answer your damn question." Katherine said as her head fell into her hands again. She squeezed her head in an attempt to stop the pain.

"Why did you feel the need to get drunk last night?" Hermione asked.

Katherine's head jerked up and she stared at Hermione for a long time. She did not want to discuss the Peters because she would have to talk about her stay at Malfoy Manor, which she did not want anyone to know about. Hermione waited patiently for Katherine to start talking. She did not want anyone to know how close she came to cracking.

"Seeing you with your parents reminded me about the Peters." Katherine whispered after a long time.

"The Peters?" Hermione asked in confusion. "I thought . . . I mean . . . I thought . . ."

"You thought I had gotten over their deaths." Katherine said, finishing Hermione's thought. "I had, but it turns out that they didn't die in August."

Katherine took a moment to recover her composure, while Hermione stared at her in shock and confusion.

"Bellatrix faked their deaths and kept them as prisoners in Malfoy Manor." Katherine saw that Hermione shuddered when she said Malfoy Manor. "They were tortured for months until I turned up. I was forced to attend a dinner party where they were the entertainment. I didn't have my wand and Death Eaters were firing curses at them. I kept jumping in front of each curse and taking every single one. Then Bellatrix hit me with a Stunner and when I woke up, they were dead."

"Katherine, I'm so sorry." Hermione said. Katherine looked away and took a shaky breath.

"It's my fault." Katherine held up a hand to stop Hermione from speaking. "I know that I say that a ton, but this time it is really true. I could have tackled a Death Eater and took his wand and we would have escaped. But I didn't. I kept taking every curse because my damn hero complex told me to not let them get hurt. If I let them take a couple curses, we could have escaped. They would be alive."

Katherine's head fell into her hands again and she squeezed her head tightly. Memories of that night were swarming her and pain kept squashing her heart. She took several deep breaths and forced the thoughts away.

_ Later_. She thought. _Later. Think about it later. Think about it when your hangover is gone. Think about it when you can make your brain a haze of nothing again._

"Katherine, I-"

"I answered your question, Hermione, now give me the potion." Katherine said forcefully, looking up. Hermione looked taken aback, but handed Katherine the vial. Katherine swallowed it and shuddered at the horrid taste. She took several swallows of her coffee in an attempt to get rid of the taste lingering on her tongue.

The pounding went away. The light didn't hurt and loud sounds didn't hurt. Katherine closed her eyes and smiled contently.

"Thank Merlin for magic." Katherine sighed in relief.

She then started to get up, but Hermione said, "Sit. We still have things to discuss."

Katherine raised her eyebrows, but sat down anyways.

"How did you make sure no one found out that you were Harry's twin?" Hermione asked.

"What do you mean?" Katherine asked.

"You spent most of your time around Legilimens, didn't they hear you when you thought about Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I know Occlumency." Katherine answered. "The night Harry was picked to be the fourth champion, Dumbledore took me into his office. He always suspected that I knew who I really was, but he didn't know for sure until he talked to Sirius. So, he told me that if Voldemort came back or if the Death Eaters started up again, they would go after Harry. He knew that I would always stand between them and Harry, so he wanted to make sure that I didn't accidently give away the secret. He taught me Occlumency all through that year and I became rather good at it. Enough that neither Bellatrix nor Voldemort suspected."

"I never knew that you were attending lessons." Hermione whispered.

"You weren't supposed to." Katherine frowned apologetically. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Katherine interrupted her. "Sorry, but can we talk about something else? I'm not in the mood for feeling even more guilty."

"Okay." Hermione said though she was eyeing Katherine uncertainly. "Why have you been ignoring Harry?"

"I haven't been ignoring him; I've been giving him space." Katherine clarified. "He just fought a battle, defeated Voldemort, survived death again, watched friends die, and then he found out that his friend is his sister. He needs to time to adjust."

Hermione was quiet for a moment, and then Katherine sighed.

"Dumbledore and I didn't plan to tell him until we were older. I wanted to wait until Voldemort was long dead before telling him." Katherine explained with a frown.

"Then why did you tell him two nights ago?" Hermione asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Because Voldemort knew." Katherine said with a pained expression. "I didn't want Harry to find out through Voldemort, so I told him."

It was half true. In truth, her father told Harry, but Katherine did not know if Harry wanted her to share the conversation with their parents.

Hermione and Katherine were silent. Katherine drank her coffee and shuddered inwardly as she noticed that it was getting colder and colder with every passing second.

"What's the plan for today?" Hermione asked once Katherine finished her coffee and finished making annoyed faces at it.

"We'll go back to Hogwarts and be of use." Katherine said, making a mental note to also remind herself to get the Malfoys' pardon.

"And then?" Hermione asked.

"There's an Order meeting this afternoon." Katherine said. "I assume you, Ron, and Harry want to join the Order."

Hermione nodded.

"Excellent." Katherine flashed her friend a smile, and then stood up. "Now if you excuse me, I am going to take a shower because I smell like cheap alcohol."


	65. Chapter 65

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 65<em>

Katherine sat at the head of a long table in an alcove McGonagall had found in the Headmaster's office. Her right hand was wrapped around her third cup of coffee -the only thing keeping her wide awake at the moment. She was absently twirling a quill in her left hand as she scowled at the table.

Telling Hermione about the Peters was never part of her plan, but she was forced into telling. Katherine sighed as she realized that she would have told Hermione eventually, but it would have been on her own terms. Mostly, she was angry that she had to mention that she had been taken to Malfoy Manor. Hermione was perceptive and she would notice that Katherine didn't give an explanation as to why she was there nor did she say when she left. If anyone, Katherine surmised, found out she was at Malfoy Manor for a month, that person would definitely believe she was a Death Eater, a spy for the other side.

People were already ready to believe the worse of her during her brief time as Umbridge's lackey; if rumor was that she was a Death Eater, they would believe it without hesitation.

Katherine continued to scowl as she realized how easily people want to believe the worse in her.

It didn't help that Bellatrix had carved that bloody Mark into her arm.

The door slamming shut jerked Katherine out of her thoughts and her scowl disappeared as she looked up. Minister Kingsley walked in, and then sat in the chair to Katherine's right.

"I apologize for disturbing your train of thought." Kingsley said. Katherine flashed him a smile.

"No worries; I find that thinking causes more harm than good nowadays." Katherine said with a laugh.

"Before we begin, there are a few things I want to talk to you about." Kingsley said. Katherine raised her eyebrows and took another sip of her coffee.

"Alright. What are they?" Katherine said.

"Firstly, the Malfoys' pardons depend on your and Harry's testimonies. You'll both need to testify in two weeks." At Katherine's nod of agreement, Kingsley continued. "Secondly, someone from the Order needs to visit Andromeda Tonks. She has lost her family and only has a baby left. I know she is strong, but we will still need to check on her."

"I'll go." Katherine said.

"Are you sure?" Kingsley asked, but Katherine nodded. "Okay, and lastly, Rita Skeeter wants an interview with either you or Harry."

Katherine's face screwed up in disgust and Kingsley laughed at her.

"Shall tell her you said no?" Kingsley asked. Katherine gave him a _No Duh_ look and he laughed again.

Then Ron and Hermione entered the room holding hands. When Katherine saw Ron, she remembered how Hermione alluded to Ron leaving, so Katherine's eyes narrowed at him. Ron noticed, his face reddened, and he dropped Hermione's hand before they both sat down.

Katherine didn't get a chance to ask Ron about leaving because most of the Order arrived in group, also known as the Weasleys. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sat down next to Ron and Hermione near the other head chair. Ginny sat on the other side of that same chair and Percy sat down next to her. Percy looked as if he slept as much as Katherine had, meaning none at all.

Bill sat down next to his parents, but Fleur kept walking towards Katherine, who rose. Fleur pulled Katherine into a tight embrace and didn't let go after the normal amount of time. Katherine, who had started pulling back, wrapped her arms around Fleur again and placed her head on Fleur's shoulder. After waiting another moment, Katherine waited for Fleur to pull away, but she didn't. Katherine relaxed slightly, but noticeably in Fleur's arms. After a few seconds had passed, Fleur pulled away and fixed a stray piece of Katherine's hair while smiling slightly.

Internally, Katherine relaxed because she knew that she could go to Fleur when she finally cracked under the strain. She and Fleur spoke the same language; they allowed their actions to say what their words could not express without fear. Katherine always has had trouble saying what people mean to her. She has always been afraid that she will say too much and scare that person away. So, she compromised by letting her actions speak for her.

And Fleur did the same thing.

That hug told Katherine that Fleur knew she was in pain and that Fleur would always be there for her. Katherine's heart swelled, but she didn't show any emotion on the outside.

As Fleur sat in the chair on Katherine's left, McGonagall walked in and sat across from Bill. After a moment, Harry walked in and sat in the other head chair. He nodded to Katherine, but gave her no other form of greeting. She nodded back in understanding; he still needed time.

"Let's start the meeting." Katherine said now that the entire Order was present.

Katherine took another sip of her coffee and cleared her throat. She then picked up her quill again and twirled it between the fingers of her right hand.

"We estimate that the rebuilding of Hogwarts will take about three more weeks." Katherine said. "You all will need to stay until it is finished. Also, the Ministry needs people to volunteer to take shifts guarding at Azkaban because they are working on getting rid of the Dementors."

Katherine pushed a piece of parchment with her name on it forward. "If you are interested, sign your name and I will get back to you with more information."

Kingsley, Ginny, and Percy had written their names down when Harry grabbed the paper.

"No, Harry." Katherine said, looking sadly at him.

"What?" He snapped, looking at her, and then past her.

"You can't go to Azkaban; the Dementors affect you too much." Katherine said.

"They affect you just as much!" Harry yelled.

"Yes, but I have more control over my emotions than you do." Katherine said calmly.

"YOU DO NOT!" Harry bellowed, slamming his hand against the table.

He sat there, breathing heavily through his nose, glaring at Katherine.

"Harry." Katherine whispered calmly.

His jaw clenched before he breathed, "Fine." Then he tossed the paper to Hermione, who wrote her name down. Ron and his parents signed the paper, and then Bill handed it to Katherine.

Katherine continued with the meeting, despite a headache growing bigger and bigger as the meeting kept going. Once it was over, Katherine remained seated with every intention of making her coffee Irish.

She needed something to get rid of the headache. And the guilt. And the pain. And her own thoughts.

"Katherine?" Mrs. Weasley's tired voice broke through her thoughts.

"Yes?" Katherine surprised herself when her voice came out normally.

"We're worried about George." Mrs. Weasley said.

Katherine smiled in understanding. "He just needs time; he'll come back."

"Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sounding on the edge of tears.

"Of course." Katherine smiled reassuringly. "And if he doesn't come back , I'll go find him. Don't worry."

* * *

><p>After dinner a week later, Katherine received an urgent note from Narcissa begging her to come to the Manor immediately. Katherine literally dove into the Floo and somersaulted out of it once she landed. She lurched to her feet and ran around the room frantically. She turned around in a circle before she saw Narcissa sitting calmly on the couch with a cup of tea in her hand. Katherine raced to her side.<p>

"What is it? What's wrong? Is Draco hurt? Have Draco and Lucius been captured?" Katherine shot off in quick succession.

"Oh no, none of that." Narcissa said, waving her hand as if to physically dismiss Katherine's questions.

"Then what?" Katherine demanded.

"Tomorrow is Bellatrix's funeral and I need someone to go with me." Narcissa explained.

Katherine stared at her for a moment because Narcissa did have a husband and a son, but then it hit her. "You want me to go?!"

"I need you to go, Katherine." Narcissa said, grabbing Katherine's hand.

Katherine looked down, trying to not let her mother see the pain flash across her face. She could not believe that Narcissa wanted her to go to the funeral of the woman who had tortured her, nearly broken her, killed Sirius, killed Tonks, and killed the Peters. Katherine could feel the memories slamming into her, literally knocking the breath out of her. Her heart was constricting in pain and her hands started shaking.

"Oh, darling." Narcissa whispered when she felt Katherine's hand shake in hers.

Katherine looked up with green eyes filled with pain as Narcissa moved her hands to Katherine's face. She cupped her daughter's face and locked her sympathetic eyes to Katherine's.

Katherine wanted to tell Narcissa everything. She wanted to tell Narcissa about the pain. She wanted to tell her about how she hadn't slept since the Battle because her demons were torturing her. She wanted to tell her about how she had taken to drinking just to get rid of the memories, the pain, the guilt. She wanted to tell her that she isn't as strong as she pretends to be, how she is so close to the edge that she might just jump over to end the pain. How she felt like she was being eaten alive by everyone who died because of her. The villagers, Ted Tonks, the Peters, her own army, Fred, Tonks, Remus, everyone.

"Oh, mother." Katherine sighed, lip quivering.

But Narcissa beat her to it.

Katherine held Narcissa as she cried into Katherine's shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around Katherine, begging her not to leave. Katherine held her mother as she cried.

She could pretend that she was strong enough to burden the world's sorrows for a little while longer.

"I'm sorry." Narcissa sobbed. "I need . . . someone . . . who's not . . . _broken_."

_Oh, but I am._

"I need . . . someone . . . who's not . . . off partying in an attempt . . . to get rid of the memories."

_Oh, but I am._

"I need someone . . . who can be . . . strong . . . for me."

_I can't_.

* * *

><p>Katherine stood straight and tall next to her mother, who was crushing her hand. Katherine ignored the blood leaving her right hand and fixed her hood with the other. Since they both agreed that it would not be good for Katherine Potter to be seen at the funeral of a notorious Death Eater, she was wearing a hood and standing on on stilts to make her Draco's height. Anyone who looked at her would think she was Draco.<p>

They had traversed behind the casket for half a mile through the Black family cemetery to Bellatrix's plot. Narcissa walked calmly and perfectly hid her emotions behind a mask, but her hand would squeeze Katherine's periodically as if she was banishing pain.

Currently, they were in front of the empty grave, the casket lying next to it. They were listening to some man in dark robes read what was in his little red book. Every time a bit of sarcasm would enter his voice as he said something praising the good in Bellatrix, Narcissa's grip would tighten.

They weren't alone either. On the far left of Katherine was a figure dressed head-to-toe in black and wearing a hood. Katherine had a strong suspicion that it was Rabastan Lestrange -the only Death Eater of Voldemort's Inner Circle unaccounted for- but Narcissa's vise-like grip prevented her from confronting him.

"Help me in putting this _poor_ soul to rest." The man said, not even bothering to hide his smirk. Katherine had to hold Narcissa back from punching the man in the face.

Katherine -since she was pretending to be Draco- stepped forward along with the man wearing the hood. She went to the right side of the casket and he went on the other. Together they lifted the casket and placed it in the grave. When they straightened their backs, Katherine locked eyes with the man. His eyes widened in surprise, but then it was gone and a smirk slid across his face. Katherine's green eyes flared as she recognized Rabastan Lestrange. Her hand dove into her pocket for her wand, but he smirked and mouthed _I wouldn't do that here_. His eyes motioned to Narcissa and Katherine hissed in frustration.

She turned and marched back over to Narcissa's side. Rabastan quickly left and Katherine wanted to chase after him, but the sound of a twig snapping made her and Narcissa whip their heads to the right. Suddenly, Narcissa's hand was gripped around hers again and Katherine was surprised the bones didn't break.

She followed Narcissa's gaze to a woman who looked like Bellatrix, but nicer. Her hair was brown instead black, but she could have easily been mistaken as Bellatrix. Narcissa and the woman stared at each other for several long moments. Katherine kept looking back and forth so much that she looked as if she was watching a tennis game.

Finally, the woman gave the slightest nod to Narcissa, who remained frozen. The woman seemed to sigh, but then she turned and walked away.

As Katherine vaguely noticed that the sarcastic man had left, she turned her attention to Narcissa, who still hadn't moved. Katherine then noticed Narcissa's lip quiver and she immediately threw her arms around her mother. Katherine waved her wand and dirt covered Bellatrix's grave, and then she Apparated them to the Manor.

Narcissa moaned in pain just before she buried her face in Katherine's neck, sobbing uncontrollably. Katherine held her mother and tried to stop the images of Ted Tonks being tortured and killed in front of her eyes.

Once she realized that the woman was Andromeda Tonks, the pain hit her so hard she felt like she had been run over by a train.

Then she collapsed to her knees, taking Narcissa down with her, but her mother didn't notice.

They sat there on the lawn for hours until Katherine gained enough strength to stand up and carry them both inside the Manor.

Once Narcissa had gone to sleep, Katherine went to the liquor cabinet and did not emerge until dawn.


	66. Chapter 66

**This is a shorter chapter, but enjoy.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 66<em>

Katherine knocked on Andromeda's front door, and then stepped back. She had been to the house many times during what she was calling her Fugitive Year, but she had never seen Andromeda before yesterday.

The door opened and Andromeda stood in the doorway. Katherine could see that she looked like Bellatrix's twin, but her hair and eyes were brown instead of black.

"Hello, Mrs. Tonks, I am Katherine Pot-"

"I know who you are." Andromeda interrupted curtly. "Why are you here?"

Katherine was taken aback, but she didn't show it and replied smoothly, falling back on her habits, "Why no, Mrs. Tonks, I came here to see you."

"Well, aren't you a nice little bird?" Andromeda sneered. "Parroting what others have taught you because you do not know how to handle this situation. Do you even think about what you say when you parrot?"

Suddenly, Katherine's face broke into an amused smile and she laughed heartily.

"I've never had anyone call me out on my bullshit before." Katherine explained, still wearing the amused smile. "It's refreshing."

Andromeda smiled slightly, but still did not move. "So why are you really here?"

"Officially, I am here to give you some things that we found on Tonks and Remus. Unofficially," Katherine smiled. "I'm here to meet you; I've wanted to see from which of her parents Tonks got her sense of humor."

Andromeda seemed to relax as she responded, "Her father."

"But she has her mother's determinedness." Katherine said.

"Will you come in, Miss Peters?" Andromeda asked, stepping out of the way.

"Thank you, and call me Katherine." She said as she followed Andromeda inside to the kitchen.

"Only if you call me Andromeda. Mrs. Tonks is my mother-in-law and a nastier woman hasn't ever drawn breath." Andromeda said and Katherine cracked a smile.

Andromeda sat in one of the bar stools of the counter and Katherine took the seat across from her. With a wave of her wand, Andromeda summoned a tray of tea and biscuits. She poured Katherine, and then herself cups of tea, and they sat in silence for a moment.

"I suppose we should get down to business." Katherine said as she reached inside her coat for a plethora of things.

Katherine pulled out two rings and put them in front of Andromeda. "I thought about leaving their rings on, but I decided that their son would probably love to have his parents' wedding rings."

Andromeda nodded numbly as she picked up Tonks's ring and looked at it for several moments. Once she put it down, Katherine picked up an envelope.

"Remus wrote this for his son." Katherine said, handing the envelope to Andromeda before she picked up another envelope. "He also wrote this for you."

Andromeda took the other envelope and set it aside to read later. Katherine picked up a third envelope and she hesitated as a pained look passed over her face.

"He wrote this for Tonks, but . . ." Katherine left the rest unsaid.

Andromeda reached for it, her hand slightly shaking, but she grabbed it anyways. Once Katherine had given Andromeda everything that was in front of her, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

"Now, Tonks didn't leave any letters, but we found this is her pocket." Katherine said shakily. "It's addressed to you."

Katherine had already opened the paper and knew that it was a picture of a toddler Tonks riding a broom through the house while her upset mother chased her. On the back of the picture, Tonks had scribbled _To mother and to the fun we had_.

Katherine handed Andromeda the picture. Once Andromeda read what it said on the back, she let out a strangled cry. Katherine moved around the counter and was at Andromeda's side immediately. Katherine placed her hand on Andromeda's shoulder and the older woman looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Katherine whispered.

Andromeda's eyes were filled with tears, but she didn't start crying. For that Katherine was grateful; she didn't think she could stand to be a human tissue again.

"Nymphadora always liked you." Andromeda said. "She said that you were always there for her."

"I tried." Katherine said before her expression darkened. "But I failed in the end."

Andromeda's brown eyes darted back and forth, searching for something in Katherine's face.

"Are you searching for sympathy, Katherine?" Andromeda asked, her eyes still searching Katherine's face.

Katherine wanted to say that she wasn't because that was the proper thing to say. But she was searching for sympathy. She wanted someone to comfort her instead of the other way around for once. She wanted someone to hold her while she let out all of her pain.

"In a way." Katherine compromised between what was proper and her wants.

Andromeda thought for a moment and started to speak, but the wailing of an infant interrupted her.

"That's Teddy." Andromeda said, suddenly looking weary.

"You haven't got any sleep, I suppose?" Katherine asked as the infant went from wailing to screeching.

"None." Andromeda sighed.

"Go take a nap; I'll watch him." Katherine said and Andromeda looked at her curiously. "Don't worry, I'm great with kids."

Andromeda smiled in thanks and led the way up the stairs. She pointed out Teddy's bedroom before walking down the hall to her open. Katherine walked into the room to see the month year old lying in his crib, wailing.

"Oi." She said, standing over him. "Shhh."

To her surprise, he did.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Andromeda walked into her living room to see Teddy sleeping in Katherine's arms. Andromeda walked over and sat next to Katherine on the couch.<p>

"You are good with children." Andromeda smiled. "I do not believe I have ever slept so well."

"He's a sweet little kid, but he's inherited his mother's volume control." Katherine commented.

"You mean lack of it." Andromeda clarified and both of them laughed.

Katherine handed her Teddy and both of them stood up. Katherine threw on her cloak and followed Andromeda to the door.

"You're welcome here anytime." Andromeda said as she opened the door.

"And anytime you need a babysitter, I'll be happy to be of service." Katherine smiled.

"I'll remember that." Andromeda smiled.

Katherine walked through the door, down the path, and then turned on the spot. She Apparated to the Ministry, and then walked to Kingsley's office. She and Harry had gotten owls asking them to testify for the Malfoys' pardons early than Kingsley had originally said.

It had gone by rather quickly and the Malfoys were granted the pardons. Katherine had to stop by Kingsley's office to pick them up.

Once she read them thoroughly and found them to her satisfaction, she Apparated to Malfoy Manor. She gave them to Narcissa, and then she went back to Hogwarts to finish the reconstruction.

She had to do manual labor in order to make herself too tired to think, but, even then, she had to drink to forget.


	67. Chapter 67

**This was a hard chapter to write. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 67<em>

It was the anniversary. And it was exactly a month after the Battle. The past month had been filled with no sleep, nights filled with drinks, and filled with emotions that were threatening to explode.

Katherine was looking worse and worse as the days passed by, but no one noticed because they were too busy with their own demons. They were too busy dumping their sorrows on Katherine to notice that she was no Atlas.

But it was the anniversary. Surely, someone would notice, Katherine told herself.

It was six in the morning. Katherine was sitting in her four poster bed with Hermione in the bed next to her. Her wand was providing light while she drank some beer and stared off into space.

She was suddenly filled with an urge to work on the scales Dumbledore had gotten her. She still hadn't figured out why they had changed from one being higher than the other to the other way around.

Leaving her wand where it was, she blindly felt her way to her backpack. After a few tries, she grabbed the scales, and then she climbed back on to her bed. When the scales were illuminated, Katherine nearly jumped in surprise. Instead of being completely unbalanced, the scales, for once, were balanced.

And a tiny door was open on the handle of the scales and a piece of paper was resting in a compartment.

_The secret compartment!_ Katherine thought excitedly. Dumbledore must have fixed the scales so that when they were balanced, the compartment opened.

Excitedly, Katherine extracted the paper and urgently unfolded it. She recognized Dumbledore's handwriting immediately. Written on the paper was a location and the sentence: _Because you never got to see_.

Katherine grabbed her wand, placed the paper in her pocket, and then jumped off her bed. She ran out of the dormitory, through the Common Room, and sneakily ran out of the castle. She raced down to Hogsmeade and the Apparation point. She turned on the spot and landed at the location on Dumbledore's note.

She faced a cliff face and noticed that about fifty feet up, there was a cave. Katherine conjured up a rope and used it to climb up the cliff face to the cave. It took her longer than she expected to, but she managed to get to the cave.

Slowly, she walked inside it, her wand illuminating her way. She walked for several minutes before she saw a giant, gold mirror at the back of the cave. It produced its own light so Katherine put her wand away.

She cautiously approached the mirror, and she remembered Harry telling her about the Mirror of Erised during first year. This had to be the same mirror.

Katherine stared at the mirror with apprehension. Harry said that the Mirror shows one's heart's desires. Harry said that he saw his family in the Mirror. Katherine was worried that she would see everyone who died for her. She knew she wasn't ready to see that.

She stepped in front of the Mirror and what she saw cracked the last layer of armor that she wore.

A dark haired boy stood in the Mirror. He ran his hand through his hair, and then put both hands in his pockets. A sad smile graced his face.

"My Ekaterina." He said sadly, stretching his right hand out to her.

Katherine clutched the skin above her heart as it started hurting worse than she had ever known. It felt like she was on the verge of a heart attack. But it hurt so much that she just wished that the attack would just happen so that it would be over.

But it wasn't. She was on a perpetual verge of a heart attack.

"My brave girl." He whispered sadly.

Katherine collapsed to her knees in front of the Mirror, still clutching her heart.

"Cedric." She choked, stretching her hand to touch his, but hitting the Mirror instead.

"You've been so strong." He whispered sadly, kneeling down to her level.

Katherine could only let out strangled sobs as her heart started to hurt even more. He touched the Mirror where her hand was resting. She wanted to feel something; heat or even coldness, but there was nothing.

"Oh, my darling." He said, never losing the sad smile.

Katherine's green eyes started to fill with tears as the pain expanded and she felt like her heart was being run over by a thousand trains.

"Now, my love, let go." He breathed.

"What?" Katherine's voice cracked.

He leaned closer. "Let go, my darling."

"Let go? Let go of you?" Katherine's voice increased in pitch as she started to become hysterical.

"Yes." He said softly.

"Forget you?!" She cried.

"Am I so ordinary that I can be forgotten?" Cedric said with a teasing smile.

Katherine let out a laugh, but it mixed with her sobs and came out very dissonant.

"Don't forget me, darling." Cedric whispered. "Let go of your pain. You can't keep it locked up; it's hurting you."

"I don't want to feel it!" She tried to yell, but her throat wasn't cooperating.

"You have to." He said ferociously. "Look at you! Barely seeing me causing your heart to break! You can't do that!"

"But feeling hurts!" She countered.

"Your pent up emotions are killing you!" He yelled, desperate for her to understand. "You haven't slept in a month! You're skinnier! Your eyes are surrounded by shadows! You look drained!"

"But that's not your fault!" She yelled.

"Oh, darling, don't you see?" He asked. "Every time you fall, you always rise stronger than ever. But you never truly mourned me, and that is holding you back. You should have already gotten over your guilt from the Battle, but you won't let yourself. You're afraid that if you explore your pain, it will reopen the wound that I caused."

Katherine let her head drop, her heart still hurt, and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

"You are going to be great. I know you will rise to heights no one else will be able to reach, but you have to let go." He said.

"How?" She whispered, still not looking at him.

"Feel." He said.

She looked up at him and moved closer to the Mirror. Their hands would be touching if it weren't for the glass between them. Katherine pressed her forehead against the glass and looked through her eyes to see Cedric had done the same thing. Then she closed her eyes and heaved a great sigh.

"I miss you so much." She shakily breathed.

"Why? I've never left your side." He said, Katherine could hear the smile in his voice.

"Never?" She asked disbelieving.

"Never." He repeated.

"So you saw me when I broke at Malfoy Manor?" She whispered.

"Darling," He whispered imploringly. She looked up at him and they locked eyes. "You never broke. You stumbled, but then you grew stronger. You escaped. If you were broken, you would have never even considered doing that."

"Thank you." Katherine sighed.

"For what? Complimenting you?" Cedric asked with a small smile.

Katherine matched the smile. "No, for not leaving me."

"I would never consider leaving." Cedric said.

"I don't deserve you." Katherine said.

"No, you don't." Cedric said seriously before his face broke out into a smile and started laughing. Katherine laughed along with him; her laugh sounding more like it did before his death.

"I love you." Cedric said once they stopped laughing.

Katherine's lip quivered and her heart exploded with more pain.

She stood up quickly, clutching even harder the skin above her heart. Cedric looked at her in confusion as more tears rolled down her face.

"I love you, too." She whispered before she ran out of the cave.

She kept running until she saw the opening of the cave. She didn't halt to climb down the cliff face; instead she jumped out of the cave. As she was falling, she Apparated to Shell Cottage.

She landed face first in the sand, but she didn't let that stop her. Sand mixed with the tears on her face as she scrambled to her feet and ran to the front door. She started knocking loudly on the door.

"FLEUR! FLEUR!" She screamed, but she heard no answer from the house.

After cursing profusely, she Apparated to Hogsmeade. She ran up the path to the Black Lake, she found the lone tree next to the shore, and then leaned against as the tears poured out of her eyes.

"Katherine?" An incredulous voice asked from behind her.

Katherine whipped around and saw Harry looking at her in worry. She cried out his name, and then ran to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, crying out all of her pain.

After a moment, she felt Harry wrap his arms around her waist and bury his face in her shoulder. Then she heard him softly crying.

The twins held each other, neither asking what the other was crying about. They just held each other and cried.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you." Harry whispered after what felt like an eternity.

"I've already forgiven you." Katherine said hoarsely.

"Thanks." He whispered.

"You're welcome."

* * *

><p>That night, Katherine was lying on her bed, feeling really drained after crying on Harry for most of the day. She did what Cedric said to do and finally mourned him completely. Surprisingly to her, she felt better. Far better than she had felt in years.<p>

Katherine heard the door to the dormitory open, but she didn't look. Suddenly, she felt someone sit next to her right hand on the bed. She opened her eyes to see Hermione looking worriedly at her.

"Harry told me you were crying." Hermione whispered.

"Don't worry about it." Katherine said.

"Tell me." Hermione said.

Katherine didn't want to talk about Cedric though. "It's fine."

"I'm surprised you went to Harry; you know how he hates crying girls." Hermione said with a small smile.

"He wasn't my first choice." Katherine admitted with a smile.

"So, are you going to tell me why you were crying?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe later." Katherine replied noncommittally.

Hermione looked at her disapprovingly, but Katherine didn't care.

"Tell me what you meant when you said Ron came back." Katherine said, staring at Hermione with piercing eyes.

Hermione looked uncomfortable as she looked away.

"Ron had been wearing Slytherin's locket too long and it played on his insecurities." Hermione said. "He thought there was something going on between Harry and I, and then he exploded on us. He yelled at Harry, and then picked up his things. He asked if I was coming with him, but I said no. He walked out of the tent and I chased after him, but he Apparated away."

"Excuse me a moment, I have to go kill someone." Katherine said with a small smile as she made to get off the bed.

"Sit." Hermione said, pushing Katherine back down. "You can't hurt my boyfriend."

"I can if he hurts you." Katherine countered.

"But he hasn't hurt me." Hermione said.

"I know." Katherine said. "But he might."

"By the way, why did you put yourself in danger to save Ron? You don't like him." Hermione said, looking at Katherine's face as if it would tell her the answer.

"And you think that I would let him die?" Katherine asked, offended.

"That's not what I meant." Hermione said quickly. "I meant that you were a good distance away from Ron; there was a greater chance of you not saving him in time than you saving him. You could have been hit by the curse instead of him. And you don't even like him that much."

"No, I have never liked him." Katherine sighed. "But I couldn't let you get hurt. I know, unfortunately, what it's like to lose the one you love, and it hurts more than anything else. I couldn't let you go through that."

"Always noble, aren't you?" Hermione said seriously.

Katherine scoffed. "I'm not noble."

"You do noble things." Hermione pointed out.

"No, I am lucky. I do stupidly reckless things and I always turn out to be the hero."

"So, you're just lucky?"

"Yep."


	68. Chapter 68

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 68<em>

The reconstruction of Hogwarts was finished by the end of June. Katherine started sleeping again, but not well. She stopped drinking as much, but she still drank daily. She had moved back into Malfoy Manor much to the Malfoys' happiness.

It was the middle of July and Katherine was visiting Andromeda. She had made a point of visiting the woman twice a week. At the moment, she and Andromeda were sitting at the kitchen counter, drinking tea.

"I see that you're sleeping better." Andromeda commented.

"Yeah, my demons let me sleep. I see you're sleeping better." Katherine said.

"Yes, Teddy lets me sleep now." She said, slightly smiling.

"That's good." Katherine said, sipping her tea.

"I know." Andromeda sighed happily.

Andromeda poured both of them another cup of tea.

"Has George come back yet?" She asked.

Katherine sighed and ran a hand over her face. "No. His parents are getting worried."

"Are you?" Andromeda asked.

"I am, but I'm not so worried that I am going to go chase after him." Katherine said.

"When will you then?"

"Before the end of the month." Katherine said.

Suddenly, a white lynx raced into the kitchen. Katherine jumped up as she recognized Kingsley's Patronous.

"Trouble at Azkaban." Kingsley's voice echoed through the kitchen. "Come immediately."

The lynx disappeared and Katherine summoned her cloak with a wave of her wand.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this short, Andromeda." Katherine said, nodding her head in leaving.

"Be safe." Andromeda called to Katherine's back as she raced out of the house. She ran through the front door, down the path, and turned when she reached the Apparition point. Since no one can Apparate directly to Azkaban, she had to Apparate to an island across from the prison.

"Untie the boat!" She yelled over the roaring wind to the boat master. He looked at her like she was crazy because the North Sea storm was the worse one this season.

"No, lady." He said. "I'm not rowin' through that!"

"I'll row myself!" She yelled, getting impatient. "Just untie the freaking boat!"

"Your funeral." He said, but untied the boat.

Katherine jumped in the boat, grabbed the oars, and sped towards the prison. The rain was pounding on her, the wind biting her face, and the waves were threatening to drown her. Yet she kept rowing, not because her Hero Complex was telling her to save someone, but because it was Ron's and Hermione's shift.

As she reached the rocky shore, the waves got fiercer and were pushing the boat away. Katherine fought against the waves, and then jumped out to the shore, leaving the boat to get destroyed by the waves.

Katherine ran into the prison and immediately felt the utter coldness that was creeping through her. She froze as the Dementors made her relive the Battle, but she took a deep breath and kept moving.

After running much too slowly for her likeness, Katherine saw a white lynx holding back a giant group of Dementors as they tried to fly closer to three people.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" Katherine yelled, pointing her wand between the Dementors and the fading lynx.

Her archer burst out of her wand and charged forward. The Dementors jumped back as her archer created a defensive perimeter. Katherine ran forward and saw that Ron and Hermione were lying motionless on the ground and Kingsley was on his knees, looking extremely weary.

"Why are they attacking?!" Katherine demanded out of Kingsley.

He couldn't speak, rather he pointed at something that Katherine hadn't seen: an unconscious Harry.

Before Katherine could yell at Kingsley for letting Harry go to Azkaban, she felt the coldness increase. She turned around to see her archer had disappeared and the Dementors were coming closer.

"_Expecto Patronum!_" Katherine yelled again, ignoring the memories of the Battle.

The archer pushed the Dementors back again, and Katherine saw that Kingsley had lost consciousness. It was an army of Dementors that was attacking. Katherine was starting to get tired, which made her annoyed because she had only casted the Patronous Charm twice.

The Dementors started closing in and Katherine heard Remus cry out Tonks's name. She flinched, but managed to keep her Patronous going strong.

She turned her head to see Kingsley was knocked out and lying face down in the ground. She turned back to see her Patronous fading.

She filled herself with the memory of when Cedric first kissed her and yelled, "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_"

Her archer burst out again and looked over its shoulder at her with a weary look. She gave it a smile in understanding, and then it charged at the Dementors. It made them back away far enough for Katherine to feel the elements. The rain was furiously pounding at her skin and clothes, making her cloak stick and feel extra heavy. The wind was rushing past her ears and her hair was at its mercy.

She heard a scream from behind her and she whipped around. Harry was rolling on the ground, screaming. Katherine ran over to him, not knowing that she was inadvertently weakening her Patronous. Once she reached Harry's side, he stopped screaming.

Katherine looked up and like a great white shark that had suddenly brushed past a shark cage a Dementor brushed past Katherine. Suddenly, she was back in the Battle and everyone was dying in front of her. Fred. Tonks. Remus. Lavender Brown. Colin Creevey. Everyone.

With a scream, Katherine fell to her knees and her Patronous disappeared. The Dementors took their chance and stormed. Three of them attacked Katherine at once and her wand was knocked from her hand.

She screamed as Cedric's dead body appeared before her. A Dementor's hand grabbed her chin and started to lower its head. She saw the mouth of the Dementor and her instinct took over. She punched the Dementor and it flew away in surprise.

Katherine looked up to see the Dementors were about to perform the Kiss on Kingsley and Ron and Hermione and Harry. She scrambled for her wand urgently, but couldn't find it. Finally, her hand wrapped around a piece of wood and she brought it up.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" Katherine yelled.

Her archer must have sensed the danger fore it charged furiously at the Dementors and sent them flying. The four were safe from the Kiss, but Katherine knew she wouldn't be able to last another bout.

She looked at the wand in her hand and saw that it was Harry's. She looked around and found her wand close to where she was originally standing. She tried to get up, but she was too drained.

Over the wind, she heard faint shouts from her far left. She looked to see a group of Azkaban guards staring at her incredulously. She made eye contact with one and gave him a _Don't-Stand-There-Looking-Like-An-Idiot-Help-Me_ look. He nudged his companions, and then the sky was full of Patronuses. Soon the Dementors were gone and Katherine relaxed. Her archer was gone and she stuck Harry's wand in her coat pocket.

The guards ran over to her, looking worried, but then they recognized her and looked awestruck.

"Help me up." She said, starting to shiver now that the adrenaline was gone.

They hoisted her up and she walked over to where her wand was and picked it up. She stared at the four unconscious people as she tried to formulate a plan. She was really pissed at them; she had told them that Harry could not go to Azkaban. But here he was! And they almost got Kissed because of it!

But she had to get them out of the cold and rain.

"Do you have a Floo I can use?" She asked.

"Yes, Miss Potter, it is in the headquarters." One of guards said.

Katherine picked up Hermione in her arms and turned to the guard. "Excellent. Show me the way."

The guard nodded and led Katherine to the headquarters. He held open the door and she silently sighed as she got out of the storm. She stepped over to the fireplace, grabbed some Floo Powder, and stepped inside.

"The Burrow!" She shouted, and then the green flames surrounded her and she started spinning. Once the spinning stopped, she stepped out into the Weasleys' living room and saw Mrs. Weasley hurrying over to her.

"Oh my! What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she took in the site of a soaking wet Katherine holding an unconscious Hermione.

"I don't know yet." Katherine said with annoyance.

"Well, put her over here." Mrs. Weasley said, pointing to the couch.

Katherine gently set Hermione down, and then stepped through the Floo again. The guard jumped to his feet at her entrance, but she ignored him and went outside. The storm attacked her the moment she stepped out of the headquarters. She fought her way through it back to where the others were.

Kingsley was sitting up and awake when she got there.

"Meet me at the Burrow." She ordered him. He nodded and two guards helped him get up and led him to the headquarters.

Katherine picked up Harry and the last guard left picked up Ron. Together they walked in silence to the headquarters. Katherine stepped through the Floo, deposited Harry in a chair, walked back through the Floo, picked up Ron, saluted the guards, and she went back through the Floo. Kingsley was sitting in a chair, hunched over, eating some chocolate when Katherine arrived at the Burrow. She dumped Ron in the last remaining chair, and then went to go stand behind the couch Hermione was lying on.

Katherine's green eyes were simmering with suppressed rage as she turned her gaze on to Kingsley. He met it, and then handed her a bar of chocolate. She took it, but did not eat it.

"Katherine," Kingsley started to say.

"What the hell was Harry doing there?" Katherine snapped. "I specifically told him not to go!"

"Katherine, I don't know why he was there, but I'm sure that you will know the answer if you calm down and wait for them to wake up." Kingsley said in his soothing voice.

But Katherine wasn't soothed.

"I don't care about what they have to say!" Katherine shouted. "I am the head of the Order and therefore my instructions should be followed! What are people going to say when they realize that my own friends won't listen to me? Why should they follow me if my friends won't?!"

"Katherine, relax." Kingsley said.

Katherine was about to yell again, but then Hermione woke up. Katherine leaned over her, eyes flashing.

"You've got some explaining to do." Katherine whispered through gritted teeth.

"It wasn't her fault, Katherine." Someone said. Katherine looked up to see that Harry was awake.

Katherine glared at him to explain as Ron woke up, as well.

"I was sick of not doing anything and sick of moping around." Harry said. "When Ron and Hermione told me that it was their shift at Azkaban today, I decided to tag along. I followed them using my Invisibility Cloak-"

"Remind me to confiscate that thing." Katherine murmured.

"-They didn't know I was there until the storm at Azkaban lifted up the Cloak." He continued, ignoring Katherine's interruption.

"Then the Dementors came out of nowhere." Hermione whispered, staring at the floor. "Harry went down after a few moments. Ron and I were fighting them off, but they were getting closer and closer. I sent a message to Kingsley, and then Ron went down. I was barely holding out by the time Kingsley got there, but then I went down, too."

"Once Hermione went down, I sent a message to you." Kingsley said. "And you know the rest."

"Does everyone now see why I did not want Harry to go to Azkaban?" Katherine asked, fighting to keep control of her voice.

"Katherine, we're all safe." Harry said.

Katherine hit the top of the couch in anger.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" She screamed. "YOU'RE ONLY SAFE BECAUSE OF ME! BECAUSE MY LUCK DIDN'T RUN OUT!"

They all stared at her.

"Just because you wanted to do something, Harry, you put people in danger!" Katherine yelled. "You were being stupidly reckless! This isn't school, Harry! You can't do something dangerous, get lucky, and then get house points for it! WE ALMOST ALL GOT KISSED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Harry's head snapped up and he paled.

Katherine glared at him. And then she threw his wand at him before she jumped through the Floo, and was gone.


	69. Chapter 69

**My Christmas present to you all. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 69<em>

It was July thirty-first and Katherine knocked on Andromeda's front door. She waited a couple of moments before Andromeda opened the door with Teddy in her arms.

"Good afternoon, Andromeda and Teddy," Katherine said with an amused smile. "You are cordially invited to attend the celebration of the anniversary of the births of Harry James and Katherine Lily Potter."

"I thought you were angry with Harry." Andromeda commented, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

Katherine shrugged and smiled. "I got over it."

Andromeda looked at her. "How long do you get to keep his Firebolt?"

"Two whole months!" Katherine exclaimed excitedly.

Andromeda smiled and shook her head slowly. "Well, we will be glad to attend your party."

"Excellent." Katherine smiled. "It's at eight and don't be late."

* * *

><p>The party at the Burrow was fun, but a little somber because George was still missing. Mrs. Weasley was fawning over Teddy, who was giggling and changing his hair color the entire time. Mr. Weasley was smiling amused at his wife. Andromeda and Fleur sat on other side of Katherine with Bill on the other side of Fleur. Harry sat across her with Ron next to him and Hermione next to Ron. Ginny sat on the other side of Harry.<p>

It was getting late and Fleur rested her head on Katherine's shoulder. Katherine turned to look at her and smiled amused.

"Is someone staying up too late?" Katherine teased.

"Just shut up and stop moving." Fleur complained with shut eyes.

"Well, I am tired." Andromeda said, rising from her seat. "And I know Teddy is, as well."

"Good night." Katherine smiled. "Are we still on for tea tomorrow?"

"Of course. Good night." Andromeda said before leaning down to kiss Katherine's cheek. "And happy birthday."

Soon after Andromeda left, Bill pulled Fleur up and they left. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley then went into the house and were followed by Ron after Hermione kissed him good-bye before she left. Katherine walked down the path to the Apparation Point, waiting for Harry to kiss Ginny so they could leave.

After what seemed like ages, Harry broke away from Ginny and walked towards Katherine. He grabbed her elbow and Apparated the both of them to Grimmauld Place. Katherine had convinced him to live there since he would need somewhere to sleep after Auror training in the day.

Katherine and Harry walked inside the house. Katherine immediately went to the main sitting room and deposited herself on the couch. Harry sighed and looked down at her.

"I suppose this means you're spending the night." Harry said.

"Nah, I can't because Narcissa's got some birthday thing planned." Katherine said, moving her arm over her eyes.

"Sounds like fun." Harry said.

"Believe me, it won't be." Katherine sighed. She didn't remove her arm even as she felt Harry sit down next to her.

"Look, Katherine, I'm sorry about Azkaban." Harry said. Katherine removed her arm and stared at him.

"I thought we moved past this." Katherine sighed.

"I know, but I can't stop apologizing. I put a ton of people in danger." Harry said, looking down.

"No shit, but everyone's fine now." Katherine said, starting to get irritated.

"I wanted to ask you, though, why is your Patronous an archer?" Harry asked, peering at Katherine through green eyes.

"Because an archer must know his prey in and out, understand the prey so well that he could almost be the prey, but he never is. Our family has related itself to deer. Dad was a stag. Mum's Patronous was a doe and your Patronous is a stag. Though I was born a Potter, I never was one. Just like my archer, I know my family very well, but have never been a Potter." Katherine explained.

"You're one now." Harry protested.

"Yes, but I wasn't for seventeen years." Katherine said sadly. Harry moved closer to her, and then hugged her.

"You are now," Harry said, still holding her. "And we're going to be the best family on the planet."

Katherine laughed softly as she and Harry pulled apart.

"No pressure, huh?"

* * *

><p>The next day, Katherine was at Andromeda's for tea. Teddy was taking a nap and the two were sitting quietly, lost in their own thoughts.<p>

"Molly was talking about George again." Andromeda commented.

"I heard." Katherine said, putting down her cup.

"You're going to have to find him soon." Andromeda said.

"I know, but I don't know where to start looking." Katherine said, running a hand through her hair. "I mean, I have had the Order look around, but it looks like I'm going to have to go after him personally."

"Are you worried?" Andromeda asked.

"It's been three months; he could be in tons of trouble." Katherine said.

"Why didn't you go sooner?"

"He needed time to come to an understanding with Fred's death. I know that if Harry died, I would need to time."

"Yes, but would you disappear?"

"Probably, but not for more than a month." Katherine admitted, looking down at the cup in her hands.

Then an owl swooped through the open window and landed next to Katherine. She did not recognize the owl as it raised its leg for her to untie the letter. She took it and scanned it quickly before jumping to her feet.

"They spotted George in Paris." Katherine said. "Can I use your Floo?"

Andromeda nodded as she followed Katherine, who ran to the living room. She lit up the Floo and stuck her head in. Her head stopped spinning and she found herself looking at the Shell Cottage's living room.

"Fleur!" She screamed, and then Fleur walked in.

"_Qu'est que ce?_" Fleur asked.

"George is in Paris and I need a native to help me find him." Katherine said.

"I'll meet you at the Eiffel Tower." Fleur said.

Katherine nodded and withdrew her head. She stood up and looked at Andromeda apologetically.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to cut this short again." Katherine said.

"Go do your duty and return with George." Andromeda said with a smile.

"I will." Katherine said, hugging Andromeda before leaving the house.

She turned on the spot and landed in an alley next to the Eiffel Tower only to find herself surrounded by French Ministry officials. They pointed their wands at her and she raised her hands to show them that she was unarmed.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The official in front of her said.

"I am Katherine Potter," Katherine said and some of the officials blinked in surprise. "I'm here because one of my Order members was reported to be here."

"How long will you be, Miss Potter?" The official asked.

"Probably not more than a day; I will contact you if that changes." Katherine said.

"Very good. Enjoy your stay in Paris and happy hunting." The official said before he and his buddies left.

Katherine walked out of the alley and towards the Tower. It took her a moment before she spotted Fleur, and then she walked over to her. Katherine handed Fleur the letter because it named a place in Paris Katherine had never heard of before.

"This is on the outskirts of town. Come, we will take the Metro." Fleur said, walking off to the nearest Metro station. Katherine followed and tried not to get distracted by the sights of Paris.

Thanks to Fleur's knowledge of Muggle Paris and the Metro system, they didn't get lost. Katherine knew that if she had done this on her own, she would have taken the Metro heading to the Luxembourg Garden instead of the one heading in the direction of Versailles.

After nearly half an hour of riding the Metro in complete silence since no one on the train said a word, they arrived at their destination. They were faced with a wide-open, grassy space, and neither knew which direction to start looking in.

Katherine scanned the space until she saw a flash of red. She nudged Fleur and pointed at it about fifty yards away. Katherine and Fleur started running and closing the distance to the point where Katherine could clearly see who it was.

"George!" Katherine yelled.

George looked up from where he was squatting, and then jumped to his feet and bolted. Katherine cursed and ran faster. Fleur started falling behind.

"Hurry up, Fleur!" Katherine yelled over her shoulder.

"I'm not wearing the proper shoes for running!" Fleur yelled back.

Katherine rolled her eyes while she kept chasing after George. She chased him up a hill and down into a small valley. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around his wand pointed at Katherine. She ducked as a purple jet of light soared over her. She rolled forward and landed on her feet as she pulled out her Bristlecone Pine wand.

Katherine produced a shield as George continued his attack. She was slowly moving forward under a barrage of spell-fire. Then he was a couple of feet away from her and he stopped firing for a second.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine yelled, hitting George head on and he fell into unconsciousness. Katherine picked up his wand, and then levitated him before she started to walk back to Fleur. She climbed to the top of the hill and saw Fleur running up it. Katherine paused and waited for Fleur to reach her.

"What happened?" Fleur asked.

"I have my suspicions, but I won't know until I can investigate." Katherine answered. "I'll meet you at Grimmauld Place."

Fleur nodded and Katherine grabbed George and Apparated. She landed in front of Harry's house and a pop announced Fleur's arrival next to her. Together with Katherine carrying George, they walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Harry opened it a few moments later.

"Hey, Harry. We found George. Can we come in?" Katherine asked pleasantly.

"Um, sure." Harry said, moving to the side to allow the two to pass.

Katherine walked into the living room and placed George on the couch. She heard Fleur join them and sit in the chair behind her. Katherine sat down on the coffee table next to the couch and heard Harry move to stand behind her.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"We found him on the outskirts of Paris. When I called out his name, he ran and I chased him. I outpaced Fleur, and then he attacked me. I had to Stun him." Katherine explained, looking at George in confusion.

"Okay, why'd he attack you?" Harry asked.

"I don't know." Katherine said. "But I have a theory."

Katherine leaned over, and lifted one of George's eyelids. His eye was glassy and Katherine immediately recognized the Imperius Curse. Then a thought crossed her mind and Katherine straightened up immediately.

"Harry," She whispered calmly. "George was put under the Imperius Curse. What if someone put a tracking charm on him because that person knew that he would be taken to you?"

Harry stared at her. "It's possible."

Then Katherine heard a rustle behind her and she whipped around.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine said and Fleur slumped in her chair, her wand clattering uselessly to the ground.

Katherine jumped off the coffee table and moved next to Fleur. She lifted one of Fleur's eyelids and saw that her eye was glassy, too.

"Imperiused." Katherine said before turning around to look worriedly at Harry.

Suddenly, they both heard the front steps creak.

"Get upstairs, Harry." Katherine whispered.

"What? No." Harry said.

"This isn't up for discussion, Harry. Whoever is coming is coming for you. Get upstairs now." Katherine whispered vehemently. Harry hesitated, but then did what she said.

Katherine then sat down in a chair that was facing Fleur and the entrance way. She heard the door creak open and heard someone softly walk down the hallway. Then a man with dark hair and a goatee came into sight.

"Hello, Miss Potter." He said in a gravelly voice.

"Mr. Lestrange." Katherine nodded in greeting, sneakily moving her hand to where her wand was pointing at Rabastan Lestrange. "If you're looking for Harry, he's not here."

"Oh? Why should I care where Mr. Potter is?" Rabastan asked, looking confused as he stroked his mustache and goatee.

"Well, considering you are at his house and you Imperiused two of his friends, I assumed you were here to kill him. You know, get revenge for him killing Voldemort."

"Miss Potter, you are mostly correct," Rabastan said, moving around the chair Fleur was in and stopped a few feet away from her. "Yes, I am at his house. Yes, I did curse his friends. But I am not here to get revenge on him for killing the Dark Lord."

"Forgive me then," Katherine said as she raised her left leg and crossed it on top of her right leg. "I just assumed that any escaped Death Eater arriving at Harry's house would be getting revenge."

"Oh, I am here to get revenge," Rabastan said. "But on you for killing my brother."

"Your brother got in my way." Katherine said coolly as she remembered beheading Rodolphus during the Battle.

"My brother was a great man that you murdered!" Rabastan yelled, losing his persona of a calm, cool assassin.

"It was war, Rabastan, there are no rules in war." Katherine responded in a cool tone.

Rabastan closed the distance between them, placed his hands on either armrest, and leaned in close to her. Anger flashed across his eyes.

"You know what I did in wartime?" Rabastan asked, but didn't wait for her to respond. "I helped Bellatrix torture the Longbottoms into insanity. It was during wartime, but your Ministry sentenced me to life in Azkaban.

"You murder my brother in cold blood and your Ministry gives you a medal. Do you see now why I want revenge?" Rabastan asked. Katherine looked up at him.

"Then kill me, Rabastan." Katherine said simply.

He brought his wand out and pointed it under her throat. She flicked her wand and was about to mutter a spell, but his hand came down on her wrist, snapping it, and causing her wand to fall uselessly to the floor. He jammed his wand harder into her throat.

"Bellatrix always said you were stubborn. She said that you would fight death every time."

"And I have always won." Katherine said smugly.

"Not this time, Miss Potter." Rabastan growled before he took a deep breath to say a spell.

"_Stupefy!_" rang throughout the house and a red jet of light slammed into Rabastan and sent him sprawling into the coffee table.

Harry ran to her side and searched her face worriedly. She picked up her wrist and held it gingerly. Harry took her wrist and muttered a healing spell, and then she sighed in relief. Then Katherine bent down to pick up her wand.

"Call Kingsley and tell him we have apprehended Rabastan Lestrange." Katherine said as she took Rabastan's wand away from him.

"Katherine," Harry said worriedly from behind her.

"I'm fine, Harry, I've been through worse." Katherine said as she produced ropes and bound Rabastan.

"Okay. But, Katherine?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"If anything is wrong, you'll tell me, right?"

Surprised, Katherine turned around and looked at Harry, who seemed genuinely worried about her.

"Oh, Harry," Katherine said as she went over to him and hugged him. "You know me; I always survive. I may be in pieces, but I still survive."

"I know, but I just got my sister, I don't want to lose her." Harry whispered.

"You won't, Potter." Katherine smiled. "You won't."


	70. Chapter 70

**Another chapter. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 70<em>

It was a few days after Katherine's birthday and she was sitting at the desk in her room, filling out a report on Rabastan Lestrange for his trial. Katherine had insisted upon trials for every Death Eater captured; she did not want a repeat of what Barty Crouch Sr. had done after the First Wizarding World.

She heard a hoot outside her window and saw two owls approaching Malfoy Manor. When they reached the Manor, they separated; one went to Draco's room and another flew towards hers. She put down her quill as the owl flew through her window and landed on her desk.

It deposited a package with the Hogwarts seal on it on her desk. She opened the package and noticed that it was heavier than usual. She pulled out a letter with her supplies and one from McGonagall reminding her how she should behave. She tilted the package some and the Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain's badge fell out.

Katherine jumped up and did a little dance because she was Captain. She knew that she was only made Captain because both Harry and Ron were not coming back to Hogwarts that year since both were about to start Auror training. Something they had yet to tell Hermione.

Katherine's hand accidently brushed the package again when she was doing her dance and she was surprised to find it was still heavy. With a confused frown, she stopped dancing and picked up the package. She turned it upside down and the heavy thing fell out, hit the desk with a thud, and rolled for a few seconds.

Katherine stared at it in horror.

Then she shook herself and dove for her quill and a piece of parchment. She scribbled down a note that read:

_ Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_ There appears to be a mistake for you and I both know that Hermione Granger is more deserving of the position of Head Girl than I am. She has gotten better grades and has had a better disciplinary record than I for the past six years of schooling. I ask that you give the position to the more deserving person. _

_ Thank you,_

_ Katherine Potter_

Katherine put the Head Girl badge in the package along with her note, and then she gave it to the owl. It gave her an annoyed look before flying off.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Katherine walked into her room in order to change for dinner. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing the same owl sitting on her desk, giving her the same look it gave her when she first sent it off.<p>

It was carrying the same package. Katherine opened it to find a note from Professor McGonagall with a single line.

_There was no mistake_.

Growling in frustration, Katherine threw the badge onto her bed, and then went into her closet to change. She was still gritting her teeth in annoyance because she knew that she was not a good choice compared to Hermione when she entered the dining room. Luckily, she arrived before the others and had time to compose herself.

She took a deep breath and focused on playing Quidditch to distract herself. She mentally ran through the motions of a play she had read about and felt herself gain control.

The door opened to the dining room and Narcissa on Lucius's arm walked in. Lucius held back as Narcissa came forward, kissed Katherine's cheek in greeting, and then beamed at her. Then the two sat down with Narcissa across from her and Lucius to her right at one head of the table. Draco walked in a few moments later and sat at the last seat open, the other head of the table.

The house elves served the first course: corn chowder. All waited for Narcissa to try the chowder and deem it good before eating it. They ate for a few moments before Lucius attempted to speak. He had started to regain the weight he had lost because of Azkaban and the past year. Narcissa made him dress better and shave and so he was starting to look more like his old self. But his voice would come and go; sometimes it would be raspy and other times it would be normal.

"I saw the Hogwart's owls." He said raspy before clearing his throat and making his voice sound normal. "Any news?"

"I am the new Captain for the Slytherin Quidditch team." Draco said.

"I am, as well, but for Gryffindor." Katherine said with a small smile.

Narcissa smiled proudly at her two children and Lucius gave them a small smile.

"I'm going to win." Draco said with a smirk.

He looked so much like his old self that Katherine almost let it slide. Almost.

"Hell no." Katherine said, matching his smirk.

"Children." Narcissa said a warning tone to stop what would turn into an awful argument that might involve wands.

Draco and Katherine gave each other a look that promised the renewal of the argument later. Draco then turned to his parents again.

"I was also made Head Boy." Draco said. All three looked at him surprised because they did not think that McGonagall would give a former Death Eater any kind of power. "I know; I had the same reaction."

"That's wonderful, darling."Narcissa said proudly.

"Who is the Head Girl?" Lucius asked. Katherine froze because she wasn't ready to tell them yet; she was still trying to fix the problem.

"I don't know, the letter didn't say."Draco said. "I bet it's the Mud-"

"Draco." Katherine whispered warningly; she was training him.

"-Granger."Draco amended and looked to Katherine for confirmation.

Katherine shrugged and lied, "I don't know; I haven't heard anything."

* * *

><p>Katherine kept sending the badge back to Professor McGonagall, but she wouldn't take it. At one point, McGonagall got so annoyed that she threatened to fail Katherine if she continued, so Katherine kept the badge.<p>

There was only a week until school started and Katherine was in her room. She was standing in front of her full-size mirror with her back to the door. On her bed was the Resurrection Stone and she was frowning at her reflection since she was trying on the Head Girl badge.

"I think it looks perfect." A voice from behind her said.

Katherine frowned at the reflection of the projection of her mother. Her mother shrugged.

"It does, Katherine." She said.

"Hermione deserves it more than I do." Katherine said, still frowning.

"Katherine." Her mother said pointedly.

"Mother." Katherine matched.

"I'm going to go if you're going to be difficult." Lily threatened.

Katherine sighed and relented. "Hermione still deserves it more than I do."

"But McGonagall thinks that you deserve it."

"I don't."

"You do. You've done more for Hogwarts than anyone else."

Katherine scoffed. "Please."

"You do." Lily pressed. "You led the army during the Battle, handled all the bodies and telling the guardians of the dead, you made sure people got home, and you led the reconstruction process. Not to mention everything you have done since your first year."

"But Hermione did all of that, too." Katherine protested. "And she managed to be top of the class and stay out of trouble."

"Your father was a troublemaker and not spectacular at school, but Dumbledore made him Head Boy." Lily said, referring to when she and James were Heads.

"That's because Dumbledore was playing matchmaker." Katherine countered. Lily made a face and stuck her tongue out at her. Katherine smiled in amusement at the reflection.

Then Katherine heard footsteps out in the hallway. She recognized the clicks and clacks as Narcissa's high heels, which meant Narcissa was coming.

"Shit!" Katherine muttered under her breath as she dove for the Resurrection Stone. No one was supposed to know she had it; everyone who asked thought Harry had left it in the Forbidden Forest. She said a quick good-bye to her mother before tossing the Stone into the bedside table drawer and shut it.

Then Katherine grabbed a book from the top of the table and pretended that she had been reading it the entire time. The door opened and Katherine looked up with a smile on her face. Narcissa was looking at the fabric draped over her arm when she walked in.

Then she looked up at Katherine and screamed. Katherine jumped to her feet, worry etching into her face, and went to Narcissa's side.

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Katherine asked worriedly and frantically.

Narcissa had a hand over her mouth and she raised her other hand to point at Katherine's chest. Katherine looked at her in confusion before looking down to see that she had forgotten to take off the badge.

"Oh." Katherine said. "Narcissa, wait, listen-"

"You didn't tell us." Narcissa said, still looking surprised.

"I know, but-"

"I'm so proud of you!" Narcissa screeched happily as she hugged Katherine tightly.

"Can't . . . breathe . . ." Katherine coughed. Narcissa laughed and let go.

"Both you and Draco! This is so exciting!" Narcissa squealed, and then her eyes widened and her jaw dropped a little. "We have to celebrate! Oh my! I'm going to go plan a party."

"Narcissa-" Katherine tried to say, but Narcissa swept out of her room in excitement.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap." Katherine muttered in quick succession.

_There goes no one knowing_.


	71. Chapter 71

**Some of you may be confused as to why I keep adding to this story. The reason is when I was first planning out the Epilogue chapter, I realized that I was creating so many flashbacks to the summer after the Battle and the eighth year that I needed to write an eighth year. The eighth year will focus on recovery.**

**Also, I am going to reply to a review here. Dear Guest, I am glad that you like both of my stories; however, I am experiencing writer's block with the Heir. I know how it is going to end, but I don't know how to get there. I am planning on finishing this story before working on the Heir again. Thank you for reading and for your patience.**

**Sorry for being long-winded today. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 71<em>

Katherine and Draco had arrived at the Hogwarts Express early and were sitting in the Prefects compartment. Katherine was sitting at the desk in the front of the compartment, facing the several round tables and the door. Draco was standing near the window.

Katherine was reading the list of Prefects and was happy to see that Hermione and Neville were the seventh year Gryffindor Prefects. Then Draco sighed heavily and she looked up from the parchment.

"I think we're the most undeserving Heads ever." Draco said.

Katherine laughed. "I don't know. Maybe a day will come when our children are made Heads."

Draco laughed as Katherine cracked a smile. He then walked over and leaned against the desk so his left leg was next to her left hand. He pulled the paper from her hands, read it, and then tossed it away with a scoff. He then moved closer to her and placed his hand on top of hers before leaning close to her.

"I'm scared, Katherine." He whispered. Katherine looked up at him and saw his grey eyes were filled with concern.

"About what, Draco?" Katherine whispered, turning her hand over and closing it around his.

"Going back. The Slytherins will hate me for betraying them. And the rest of the students will hate me for being a Death Eater." Draco whispered, looking down.

"I can't speak for the Slytherins, but the others know what you did, Draco." Katherine said, grabbing his chin with her other hand, making him look at her. "They know you lied for Harry when they were captured. And they know your mother lied and saved Harry. They'll remember all that."

Draco leaned forward until their foreheads were touching and both closed their eyes. He breathed in and out shakily.

"I spent all last year hiding in my room. The Dark Lord tortured my father in front of me and I could not show any emotion. I watched the Dark Lord force Bellatrix to torture my mother. And the entire time, I was separated from you. I needed you." Draco whispered.

"I'm sorry." Katherine whispered. "But I'm here now."

"I know." Draco said, moving the hand she was holding out of her grasp, and up her arm. Then he brushed her right shoulder and she hissed in pain and ripped away from him. He opened his eyes in surprise and leapt forward to her side.

She was gripping her shoulder and was surprised that it hurt because she could not remember hurting it. Draco's hands were hovering near her shoulder because he did not know what to do.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated frantically.

"It's okay." Katherine breathed as the pain left.

"What happened?" Draco asked.

"I don't know." Katherine said, still looking at her shoulder in surprise.

"Let me take a look at it." Draco said and Katherine nodded. Draco gently pulled the collar of her shirt over her shoulder. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"What?!" Katherine screeched because that thing hurt like hell. She looked and saw that there were no marks, no bruises, nothing on it. "Well, hell."

Draco looked at her like she was crazy, but he didn't get a chance to say anything because the compartment door slid open. Katherine looked to see a distraught Hermione coming in. Hermione pointed at Katherine, and then pointed at the window.

"Looks like I'm in trouble." Katherine whispered with a smile to Draco before getting up and moving over to meet Hermione at the window.

"Did you know that the boys weren't coming this year?" Hermione asked so fiercely that Katherine was taken aback.

"Um, I don't know the right answer to this." Katherine said with a smile trying to disarm Hermione.

"Dammit, Katherine!" Hermione said, hitting her in the left shoulder, thankfully.

"For the record, I told them to tell you months ago." Katherine said.

"I don't care about _for the record!_" Hermione whisper-screamed. "You should have told me."

"It wasn't my secret to tell." Katherine said.

"And I guess it also wasn't your secret to tell to tell me about being Head Girl." Hermione whispered fiercely.

"Now, Hermione-"

"I had to find out through the _newspaper! _The newspaper, Katherine!" Hermione whisper-yelled.

"That's because-"

"I don't care why! You should have told me!" Hermione whisper-yelled again.

Katherine lost her patience, she moved in close to Hermione, eyes flashing. "We haven't spoken since Australia. And there are many things you are keeping from me."

"I am not-"

"Malfoy Manor?" Katherine said as a flicker of fear passed through Hermione's eyes. "I thought so."

"I still told you everything that was going on." Hermione countered.

Katherine took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "I know, but if you will please just listen to m and let me explain. Please, Hermione."

Hermione copied Katherine to calm down. "Alright."

"The reason I didn't tell you is because I was trying to make McGonagall take it back and give it to someone more deserving." Katherine said.

"Like who? Katherine, I think you're perfect for it." Hermione said with an assuring smile.

"Like you." Katherine said.

"Me?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hermione, you actually care about this crap. I want to spend my last year playing Quidditch, drinking like hell, partying with Draco, and then worry about my N.E.W.T.'s the night before." Katherine said, looking at Draco for a moment and noticed he was smirking.

Hermione looked shocked that someone would not be worrying about their N.E.W.T.'s at least in second year.

"I may care, but you do deserve it." Hermione said.

"No, I don't." Katherine said.

They were spared further argument by all the Slytherin Prefects coming in as a group. They looked nervous and were looking at Hermione and Katherine apprehensively. Katherine walked over to them and smiled encouragingly.

"Hello, how was everyone's break?" Katherine said, shaking each person's hand in turn. They responded and Katherine listened intently. Then she turned, "Draco, come here."

Draco grudgingly got up and walked cautiously over to the Slytherins. He stood next to Katherine, who ignored his expression.

"Draco, this is Nott's sister." Katherine said.

Draco nodded in greeting. "Pleasure. I'm afraid your brother, though, failed to mention the existence of a pretty sister."

Nott smiled as some Hufflepuff Prefects walked in. Katherine and Draco excused themselves and went to greet the new arrivals. Some Ravenclaws walked in next and the two talked with them for a few moments. Then the Gryffindors walked in and they were watching Draco warily. Then Neville rolled his eyes, pushed past his companions, and greeted Draco like they were old friends.

Katherine noticed everyone had arrived so she grabbed Draco's arm and they walked together to the desk.

"Only you could charm an entire group of people into liking me." Draco whispered as they walked.

Katherine laughed lightly. "I only charmed them into giving you a chance. You did the rest."

Draco sat down and the rest of the group found seats at the round tables. Hermione sat at the table nearest to the desk on the right. Katherine was standing with Draco sitting at her right.

"Hello, everyone, hope you all had a nice break." Katherine said, smiling. "Now, first off, during the reconstruction, some of the passageways had collapsed and we couldn't fix it, so no more snogging in there."

The Prefects chuckled and Hermione frowned at Katherine, which made her grin.

"Also, I have to make sure all of you know the most important duty of a Prefect," Katherine said, holding back a grin. "To tease all the first years!"

The Prefects chuckled and Hermione said flabbergasted, "Katherine!"

"Oh, I'm guessing that's not right." Katherine said, scratching her chin. "Hmm, let me see. . . . The most important duty is to give fake directions to all the first years."

"Katherine!" Hermione exclaimed as the Prefects laughed again.

"Oh, that's not right either," Katherine said, scratching her chin again. "Most important duty is to tell the first years that magic is allowed in the hallways."

"Katherine!" Hermione exclaimed annoyed before turning to Draco. "Malfoy, are you going to do something about this?"

Draco looked up at Katherine, and then looked back at Hermione. "Nah, Katherine's got it."

"The most important thing is to lie to all the first years."

"Damn it, Katherine!" Hermione said, standing up. "The most important duty is to make sure none of the first years are confused and to help them."

As Hermione sat down, Katherine grinned charmingly. "See? I told you I'm rubbish at this."

"You little twit." Hermione said as she realized what Katherine had done. Katherine just grinned again.

"Anyways, Draco and I will work out the patrol schedule and tell you it by tomorrow. Neville and Ernie, can you two make sure the first years all go with Hagrid?" Katherine asked.

They nodded and Katherine smiled her appreciation.

"Alright, Draco and I will be patrolling the train when we stop to make sure everyone got off. We don't want anyone to be left on the train." Katherine looked pointedly at Draco since she was referring to when he left Harry on the train sixth year.

"It was one time, Katherine!" Draco cried indignant.

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><p>After the Welcoming Feast, Draco and Katherine were summoned to the Headmistress's office for a meeting. McGonagall was sitting on one side of the desk while Draco and Katherine were sitting on the other. They had just discussed the usual things like patrolling and not confusing first years.<p>

"Now, Professor, we need to clear out those passageways." Katherine said, pointing to the said passageways on the map of Hogwarts on the desk.

"I thought we agreed that it was too dangerous, the tunnel could collapse." McGonagall said.

"Not if we plan it out carefully. We'll follow the Muggle way of building tunnels by building scaffolding to hold it up as we go along." Katherine said.

"Why is it so important to you?" McGonagall asked, looking at Katherine curiously.

"There might be bodies." Katherine said.

"That's not likely because we both went through the hole caused by the tunnel collapsing and got everyone out of there." McGonagall said.

"Yes, but there could have been people trapped underneath the layer of stone we couldn't move." Katherine said before sighing. "Every day, I get letters from parents whose children are still missing. If their child is Muggleborn, I tell them that it is most likely their child is in hiding and hasn't heard that Voldemort's dead."

"And if their child is not?" McGonagall asked.

"Then he might be in those passageways." Katherine said somberly.

"Fine, we'll organize a team and go in tomorrow night." McGonagall consented.

"Excellent." Katherine said as she and Draco rose.

"Hold on, Miss Potter, there was something else we need to discuss." McGonagall said as she rose, as well.

Katherine raised her eyebrows in question, but McGonagall was looking pointedly at Draco.

"Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of Draco." Katherine said and McGonagall nodded.

"Something appeared yesterday that I can't explain in the spot in the courtyard where you said you had fought Bellatrix Lestrange." McGonagall said.

"Show me." Katherine said.

Together all three walked through the school, out the front door, and to the spot McGonagall was talking about. There was a black patch on the stone courtyard that was crackling, sizzling, and sparking. Katherine stared at it in confusion as her mind raced through the books she had read, trying to see if she recalled the black patch.

"I don't know what it is." Katherine said finally.

"I do." Draco said quietly from behind them. Both turned around, looking at him in surprise.

"What is it, Draco?" Katherine asked as he stepped forward towards the patch.

"It's Dark Magic residue." Draco said expecting both of them to understand, but they gave him blank looks.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously trying to figure out how to explain.

"Dark Magic is very precise," Draco started. "When casting a spell of that much power and destruction, one must focus on exactly what part of the victim one wants to attack. When Bellatrix was using that spell against you, Katherine, she was focusing on attacking your head. So, imagine a vertical light the size of your head coming at it. That was what Bellatrix imagined and focused on.

"However, Katherine dodged it and this light the size of her head hit her shoulder instead. So the part of the light that did not make impact fell behind her and left behind this residue.

"Dark Magic always leaves a mark." Draco said, unconsciously touching his left arm, and then his head jerked up and looked at Katherine. "Katherine, your shoulder."

Katherine shook her head. "No, I remembered what had happened to it. Remember when we were playing Quidditch a couple days ago and that Bludger slammed into my shoulder?"

Draco's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he remembered. "And you thought that you were so powerful that you could heal it yourself."

"Yes." Katherine muttered embarrassed.

"So I had to break it again, and then heal it." Draco said.

"Yes, yes." Katherine muttered again.

"Well, I suppose you would be sore." Draco said.

"I am sore." Katherine said indignant.

"Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall cut in. "Is the residue dangerous?"

"All Dark Magic residue is dangerous, but each varies in consequence." Draco said. "Some residues produce a mild effect like burning your hand, while others will replicate the curse, but not as powerful."

"What will this one do?" McGonagall asked.

"I don't know. Every time I saw Bellatrix perform the spell, she never missed. But considering this spell is supposed to cut a person's face in half, I think this residue might do the same." Draco said.

"We can't have that happening." McGonagall said. "Can it be fixed?"

"Yes, but it will take quite some time. In fact, the only person I can think of who could fix it quickly was Professor Snape." Draco said.

"Mr. Malfoy, can you fix it?"McGonagall asked.

Draco's face contorted. "It's too dangerous. I'm a novice in Dark Magic and I can only fix curses that I know the exact spell for. Dark Magic is very much like Arithmancy in that it is very exact and precise."

Katherine frowned while she thought of a way to fix it.

"Maybe we can make deals with some Death Eaters in Azkaban and get them to fix it." Katherine brainstormed. McGonagall's lips pursed at that idea.

"Oh, wait!" Draco exclaimed. "My mother can do it. She studied Dark Magic a great deal because she was afraid that the Dark Lord would hurt us, so she wanted to be able to fix anything that would happen. It also helps when the person fixing the residue understands the style of the caster."

"Go to my office and Floo your mother." McGonagall said. "See if she can come tonight."

Draco nodded and left.

"Professor McGonagall," Katherine said.

"Please tell me you're not going to try to give me back the Head Girl badge." McGonagall sighed exasperated.

"I have another reason why I can't be Head Girl." Katherine said chipper. "You see, with my classes, getting ready for N.E.W.T.'s, and being Quidditch Captain, I don't have the time to devote to Head Girl duties."

"Well, that is quite the reason, Miss Potter." McGonagall said. "And I know how we can fix that. I will make Ginny Weasley Quidditch Captain."

"Thanks -wait! What?" Katherine exclaimed. "You know, I'll just have Hermione create a schedule for me."

"See that you do. Goodnight, Miss Potter." McGonagall said as she left.

Katherine was looking at the patch as she remembered the battle with Bellatrix over Remus's and Tonks's bodies.

Then she heard someone say so quietly she almost missed it. "Hello, Katie."

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><p><strong>The line "party with Draco" was originally going to be "do Draco," but that was just my inner reader speaking.<strong>


	72. Chapter 72

**This chapter was inspired by loveadubdub's story _Payment_. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 72<em>

Narcissa fixed the Dark Magic residue, but it took her all night so McGonagall allowed her to stay at Hogwarts for breakfast. Narcissa was very happy, though not showing it, that she got to eat breakfast with her children.

They had gone into the tunnels that night and luckily did not find any bodies. They managed to fix all the tunnels and make them passable. Since they didn't find any bodies, Katherine sent a list of the names of the missing people to Kingsley with instructions to organize a search team and to keep her updated. She was still getting letters from people about missing loved ones and questions about how they could recover from physical and mental injuries. Katherine could have sworn that Dumbledore never had to do this much work when he was the head of the Order. People kept asking her for help because they did not trust the Ministry after the Fudge administration completely ignored Voldemort being back and Scrimgeour's did not prepare well enough.

But Katherine just wanted, for once, to enjoy her year at Hogwarts.

Of course she couldn't because she was spending almost all of her time worrying about Hermione. Almost every other night, Hermione would start screaming and tossing around on her bed. Katherine would wake up and jump over to Hermione. She would wake her up, sometimes with great difficulty, and then hold Hermione as she cried on Katherine's shoulder. Katherine would ask every time what was wrong, but Hermione wouldn't say anything.

But Katherine knew that something would happen that would force Hermione to tell her.

It was the week before the first Quidditch game of the season, Gryffindor and Slytherin, and the Gryffindor team had ended practice way late. It was Katherine's fault because she could not resist showing off for the new additions to the team. So, the rest of the team snuck their way back to Gryffindor Tower -it was way after curfew. Katherine, however since she was Head Girl and did not have a curfew, was walking to the Prefects' Bathroom to scrub away the dirt, sweat, and to soak her sore shoulder in hot water.

So, Katherine was walking down the fifth floor with her broom swung over her left shoulder. Her pants were muddy and her shoes were trailing mud and she was laughing at what she imagined Filch's expression would be when he saw it.

Suddenly, Katherine heard a scream come out of a classroom three doors away. Katherine froze before snapping herself into action. She ran down the hallway and burst into the classroom. She tossed her broom to side as she took in scene before her. Hermione was on the ground, curled in the fetal position, moaning, groaning, quivering, and shaking. Walking slowly and intimidating towards the fallen Hermione was Bellatrix Lestrange.

_But you're dead_. Katherine thought before she shook herself into action.

Katherine pulled out her wand and jumped between the two.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine yelled. The jet of red light came out of her wand, hit Bellatrix, and did nothing. Katherine stared at her in confusion as Bellatrix's lips pulled into a feral snarl.

Then Bellatrix started shifting. The small, sharp knife in her left hand disappeared; her curved wand straightened out and turned into Katherine's. Bellatrix's hair lightened and straightened, but was still as crazy. Her eyes turned green, but still retained the crazed look.

"Praise the Dark Lord." It said in an imitation of Bellatrix's voice.

It looked like Katherine if she turned into Voldemort's most devoted follower.

Katherine stared at it in horror as it came closer and closer. Katherine backed up, but then she bumped Hermione and forced herself to not be afraid.

"You are only a Boggart." Katherine said, stepping forward, pointing her wand at it. "_Riddikulus! Riddikulus! Riddikulus!_"

All three spells collided with the Boggart at the same time and it exploded. Katherine made a mental note that if one puts enough power into that spell, the Boggart will explode.

Katherine turned around, Banished her broomto Gryffindor Tower, and then put her wand away. She went to Hermione who was still quivering and knelt next to her.

"Hermione," She whispered, trying to pull Hermione's hands off her face. "It's me, Katherine. Hermione, she's gone."

But Hermione just kept moaning and shaking. Katherine scooped her up and started walking towards the Hospital Wing. Hermione was shaking in Katherine's arm despite Katherine telling her over and over that she was fine, that Katherine had her.

When Katherine entered the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey sighed exasperatedly.

"Doesn't your group wait to get hurt until the end of the year?" Madam Pomfrey said with a slight smile.

"Sorry, our calendars are mixed up." Katherine said, matching Pomfrey's smile.

Madam Pomfrey watched Katherine place Hermione down on one of the beds.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"A Boggart." Katherine said, pushing back some of Hermione's curls which had fallen into her face.

"And she had this reaction?!" Madam Pomfrey asked shocked. "What's her Boggart?"

"It was McGonagall telling her she failed," Katherine said, her lips twitching. "But today it was Bellatrix Lestrange."

"Why is she so scared of Bellatrix Lestrange?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she checked Hermione's pupils, heart rate, and breathing.

"I don't know; she won't tell me." Katherine said annoyed.

"I can give her a Calming Draught, but she'll have to spend the night here." Madam Pomfrey said.

"That's fine." Katherine said.

Madam Pomfrey nodded and went into her office. She returned with a spoon and a potion. Carefully, she poured the potion into Hermione's mouth. Hermione immediately stopped moaning and shaking, and looked peaceful. Madam Pomfrey then looked at Katherine pointedly.

"I'm not leaving." Katherine said firmly.

Madam Pomfrey looked taken aback. "I know." And then she pointed to something behind Katherine, which was a chair that she had put there already for Katherine.

Katherine smiled in thanks as Madam Pomfrey went back to her office. Katherine pulled the chair closer to Hermione and sat down. She put her feet up on Hermione's bed and settled in for a nap.

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><p>Katherine woke up a couple hours later because a cackle pierced through the darkness. Katherine jumped to her feet and scanned the Hospital Wing, but saw nothing. She sat back down, and then went back to sleep.<p>

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><p>The next time Katherine woke up it was nearly eight in the morning. Hermione was still sleeping peacefully, but looked as if she was slowly waking up. Katherine stretched and carefully massaged her shoulder since it was still a bit sore.<p>

Then Hermione woke up and blinked groggy at Katherine. Slowly, Hermione pushed the grogginess away and sat up, taking in her surroundings.

"Why am I in the Hospital Wing?" Hermione asked, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"You had a nasty reaction to a Boggart." Katherine said, watching as Hermione's eyes widened once she remembered what happened.

"What happened to her?" Hermione asked shivering.

Katherine scooted closer to her. "I took care of it, but, Hermione, you have to tell me why you're scared of her."

Hermione unconsciously began cradling her left arm. Katherine looked at it and felt her own Mark from Bellatrix itch.

"Malfoy Manor." Hermione whispered, looking past Katherine and tears started to well in her eyes.

"Tell me." Katherine said, grabbing Hermione's other hand.

"I can't." Hermione choked as tears started to fall.

"Show me then." Katherine said and Hermione nodded.

As soon as she was checked out by Madam Pomfrey, the two girls walked to McGonagall's office. They knocked and McGonagall told them to enter.

"Hello, Professor," Katherine smiled, while subtly supporting Hermione. "We were wondering if we could borrow your Pensieve."

"Of course." McGonagall said as she waved her wand and the cupboard containing the Pensieve opened.

"Alright, give me the memory, Hermione." Katherine said, handing Hermione her wand.

Hermione closed her eyes as she brought Katherine's wand to her temple. Then she pulled it away, carrying a silvery wisp along with it, and handed it to Katherine. Katherine took her wand over to the Pensieve and flicked the memory into it. Katherine then dove into it.

She landed in the dining room of Malfoy Manor. The long table wasn't there despite it being there the day she arrived, the same day this took place. The Malfoys, Bellatrix, Fenrir Greyback, and some Snatchers were facing a bound Ron, Hermione, and a disguised Harry.

"Well, Draco, is it Potter?" Bellatrix asked, pulling on Harry's hair to lift his face so Draco could see.

Katherine walked over to Draco, who was kneeling in front of Harry, looking pained, but trying to hide it.

"I . . . I can't be sure." Draco said before getting up and joining his mother at the fireplace.

"What about the Mudblood?" Fenrir growled.

"I recognize her from the Department of Mysteries." Bellatrix said almost giddy.

"Yes, Draco, isn't this the Mudblood who always beat you in school?" Lucius asked, looking and smelling horrid.

"Yes, it is!" Narcissa exclaimed. "It's Granger."

Draco looked torn as he glanced at Hermione before looking down. "I guess."

"And isn't that a Weasley?" Lucius said, pointing at Ron excitedly. "So, they're Potter's friends! That must mean he is Potter!"

"Ah, but where's Katie?" Bellatrix mockingly asked Harry.

They stared at her, but Katherine saw something flicker through Hermione's eyes and Katherine's hand shook in guilt.

"Did she abandon you?" Bellatrix mocked. "Well, she and I had so much fun at Christmas."

Harry and Hermione blinked, but didn't show any other reaction. Ron, however, narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

_So that's why he was so quick to jump to the conclusion that I was a Death Eater_. Katherine thought.

"Well, I'm sure we'll see her soon." Bellatrix said. "Now, time to call the Dark Lord."

Then Lucius interjected that he wanted to be the one who called the Dark Lord, and then Fenrir Greyback started saying that he wanted credit, too. Soon, all three Death Eaters were arguing amongst themselves.

Katherine walked over to where she was in front of Hermione, who was slightly shaking and terrified, but trying not to show it.

"Distract them, please. I'm on my way. Lovegood's preventing me, but I'm coming. Just distract them a little longer." Katherine said, but of course they couldn't hear her.

"WAIT!" Bellatrix screamed, pointing her curved wand at one of the Snatchers. "Where did you get that?"

"Found it. It's mine now." The Snatcher said. Katherine looked at him and saw he had Gryffindor's Sword.

Bellatrix screeched and shot spells in quick succession out of her wand. The Snatchers were blasted off their feet and Greyback had a rope wrapped around his neck. Bellatrix grabbed the Sword and was screaming at the Snatchers and Greyback to get out. And they ran.

Bellatrix looked as if she had cracked. She looked so crazy that even Katherine was surprised because no matter how snarky Katherine was to Bellatrix, Bellatrix never got that crazy.

Katherine moved to where she was in between her friends and the more-dangerous-than-usual Bellatrix. She stretched out her arms, protecting her friends. Bellatrix gripped the Sword, pointed her wand at the trio, and her eyes glinting madly.

"We have to make sure that this is a fake." Bellatrix whispered, staring at the group.

Katherine straightened up, daring Bellatrix to try.

"Wormtail!" Bellatrix barked and the rat-like man tip-toed into the room. "Put the boys in the cellar."

Wormtail and Bellatrix advanced forward. Katherine widened her stance and prepared to throw them back. She glared at them, daring them to step closer.

But they did.

Wormtail reached under Katherine's arm and pulled the struggling Ron and Harry away from Hermione. Katherine stretched out her hand for them, but retracted it since Bellatrix was within striking distance.

Katherine pulled back her arm and threw it forwards. But it went through Bellatrix's face as Bellatrix's arms went through Katherine's torso and grabbed Hermione.

"No, no, no, no! No!" Katherine yelled, fumbling for Hermione, but her hands kept slipping through her. Then Bellatrix had Hermione and was pulling her to the center of the room by her hair.

Ron was screaming at Bellatrix to take him instead, but she ignored him. Wormtail managed to push the boys into the cellar and lock the door. Ron was still screaming and started pounding on the door.

Bellatrix turned on Hermione, who was shaking in fright. Katherine jumped forward, trying to push Bellatrix back, but she fell through Bellatrix instead.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" Katherine screamed.

"Where did you get this Sword?" Bellatrix yelled at Hermione, pointing at the Sword that Lucius was now holding.

"We-We found it." Hermione stuttered.

"Liar. _Crucio!_" Bellatrix screamed.

Hermione screamed and stumbled. Katherine ran forward to grab her and steady her, but Katherine went straight through her. Hermione screamed again and Katherine jumped in front of the curse, but it went through her heart and still hurt Hermione.

Katherine screamed her frustration.

Bellatrix lifted the curse and Katherine was at the panting, tearing up Hermione's side.

"Hermione, I'm here. Please, Hermione, hear me. Please!" Katherine begged, tears beginning to choke her.

"Where did you get it?" Bellatrix repeated, stepping closer to Hermione.

"Leave her alone!" Katherine yelled, but Bellatrix did not hear her.

Katherine looked around and saw Wormtail twitching near the cellar door, watching the scene with barely hid revulsion. Draco was pale and looked as if he was about to be sick. Lucius was watching Bellatrix, trying to figure out why she was acting crazier than usual. Narcissa was staring at the carpet, not looking at the scene, clenching her jaw.

"Answer me, filth!" Bellatrix screamed before hitting Hermione with another curse.

Hermione collapsed to the ground in pain. Hermione was screaming. Ron was screaming. Katherine was screaming.

"I-I-I swear we-we-we found it." Hermione sputtered out once the curse was lifted.

"You're lying, you stinking _Mudblood_." Bellatrix spat in Hermione's face. The spit mixed with the tears pouring down Hermione's face. Katherine reached to wipe it away, but her hand went through Hermione's face.

Katherine screamed again.

Bellatrix kicked Hermione in the chest and pushed her down until she was on the floor. Then she hit Hermione with another curse. Hermione was screaming, sobbing, and her limbs were jerking sporadically.

"I'm here, Hermione, I'm here. I'm sorry, I'm trying to stop her, but I can't. I'm sorry." Katherine whispered by Hermione's side as she continued to scream.

The second Bellatrix released the spell, she jumped onto Hermione and started straddling her. Bellatrix used her legs to lock Hermione's legs down, her body to pin Hermione into place, and then placed her face centimeters from Hermione's.

"You took it from my vault in Gringotts, didn't you?!" Bellatrix screamed in Hermione's face.

"No, no, we didn't." Hermione cried.

"Liar! Tell me the truth or I'll kill you with this knife!" Bellatrix said, producing the knife that Katherine recognized as the one the Boggart-Bellatrix had carried.

"No!" Katherine screamed as she tried to grab the knife, but she slipped through Bellatrix and landed on the other side of Hermione.

"I am!" Hermione cried out before shrieking in agony as Bellatrix hit her with another curse.

Katherine was sobbing now, tears rolling down her face because she could not stop it.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm so sorry. I can't stop her. I'm sorry." Katherine cried.

Hermione shrieked again and Katherine heard Ron scream from the cellar.

"STOP YELLING, RONALD, AND DO SOMETHING!" Katherine yelled in desperation.

But he was locked in the cellar, unable to save her.

Katherine turned to look at the Malfoys. Lucius was still watching the scene with an unreadable expression. Narcissa was now looking at the ceiling in attempt to ignore what was happening in her dining room. Draco was behind his parents with his back turned to the entire scene.

"DO SOMETHING!" Katherine yelled while choking on her sobs. "YOU KNOW SHE'S MY FRIEND! DO SOMETHING!"

But they just stood there.

"Draco, please!" Katherine sobbed. "I know you think you're a coward, but you're not! Stop her! Please! Draco, please!"

But he didn't turn around.

"You are a lying, filthy Mudblood." Katherine heard Bellatrix deadly whisper from behind her to Hermione. "And I am going to make sure you never forget it."

Katherine turned around just in time to see Bellatrix hold down Hermione's left arm and start writing with the knife on it.

"No, no, no, no!" Katherine yelled as she tried to push Bellatrix off of Hermione. "GET OFF HER!"

But Katherine kept falling through and Bellatrix could not hear her.

Bellatrix kept cutting and slashing as Hermione screamed, jerked, jolted with every cut. Katherine fell to her knees besides Hermione's left hand and placed her hand in Hermione's; despite the fact she couldn't touch her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Katherine kept repeating over and over until Bellatrix's was finished.

"Now, tell me the truth." Bellatrix whispered to a shaking, sobbing Hermione.

But Hermione couldn't speak, her voice was gone from screaming. Bellatrix slapped her.

"Wormtail, go and get the goblin; he will tell us if it is a fake or not." Lucius said and Bellatrix looked up.

"Excellent idea, Lucius." Bellatrix said surprised. "I'm surprised your brain can think since you put so much product in your hair."

"Bella." Narcissa said in a warning tone.

Bellatrix flashed her sister a smile.

"Only joking." She said as she climbed off of Hermione as if she was just getting out of a chair. Katherine's blood boiled, but she didn't leave Hermione's side.

She tried brushing Hermione's hair, but she kept going through Hermione's head. Both girls were crying, one from being subjected to torture, and the other from guilt. She didn't pay any attention to the Death Eaters as they tried to get the goblin to tell them about the Sword.

Katherine was watching Hermione closely, knowing that she was about to fall into unconsciousness. Katherine half wanted her to because then she wouldn't have to feel the pain, but Katherine knew that it was too dangerous for Hermione to fall into unconsciousness here.

"Well?" Bellatrix demanded when the goblin started taking too long.

"It's a fake." The goblin lied.

"Well, there we go. Now, we can call the Dark Lord." Bellatrix chirped, clapping her hands happily. Lucius pressed his mark as Bellatrix turned around to look at Hermione. "Now, what to do about the Mudblood?"

The Malfoys didn't say a word as Bellatrix stepped closer to Hermione.

"Perhaps, we should let the Dark Lord have his fun with her. Or perhaps she can remain with me and be my _pet_." Bellatrix said, twirling Hermione's curls.

"Over my dead body!" A male voice yelled from Katherine's left.

Katherine looked to see Harry and Ron running up the stairs from the cellar. Ron and Harry attacked Draco and Bellatrix and a fight erupted between the two sides. Katherine was so busy watching the fight that she didn't see Hermione being pulled away.

"STOP!" Bellatrix yelled. "Put down the wands or I'll kill her."

Katherine whipped around to see Bellatrix holding a shaking Hermione up, with her small knife at Hermione's throat. Hermione was looking at the boys with fear in her eyes, begging them to put down the wands, begging them to not get her killed.

_Oh my god._ Katherine thought as her jaw dropped. _Why didn't I see it before? Hermione's broken. Bellatrix broke her._

Katherine then realized that Hermione had been dropping hints that she wasn't fine, but Katherine was too blind to see it. Bellatrix broke her. Hermione was begging the boys not to get her killed, instead of telling them to not disarm themselves. Hermione hadn't resigned herself to death, that would mean some form of bravery, she was fearful of it.

Even after all this time, she was still broken. She had healed some, but there was a part of her still broken.

_ And I was too blind to see it_. _Oh, Hermione, forgive me_. Katherine thought as she barely registered Draco picking up the wands that Harry and Ron had put down and Bellatrix mocking Harry that the Dark Lord was coming.

Katherine's green eyes were locked on Hermione's scared face. She was so focused on Hermione that she didn't hear the chandelier creak. She only looked up when Bellatrix did to see Dobby sitting on the top of it and trying to unbolt it from the ceiling.

Suddenly, it fell. Bellatrix screamed and tore away from Hermione, who collapsed to the ground. Katherine looked to see the chandelier was going to fall on her. Katherine jumped to push Hermione out of the way, but she went straight through her. The chandelier fell on top of Hermione and Katherine turned her head to watch the boys springing into action. Harry attacked Draco and stole the wands, including Bellatrix's.

_Ah, so that's how they ended up with it._ Katherine said before looking quickly at the window, remembering that she had found Hermione's wand there, and sure enough, it was there.

Katherine turned her head back to see Ron pushing the chandelier off of Hermione, cutting himself on the glass while doing so. He pulled Hermione into his arms, both were bleeding from cuts caused by the glass.

Ron half-carried, half-pulled Hermione to join Harry at the fireplace. With a pop, Dobby appeared on the top of the fireplace and he disarmed Narcissa. Bellatrix screamed at him, and then started to throw her knife.

But then the memory froze. Katherine vaguely remembered setting the memory to pause at the end because she knew that she would need a moment to compose herself. She had thought that she would have been shocked and horrified, but instead she was alternating between being upset and being angry.

Katherine went over to her friends, stumbling as tears fell, and then she collapsed to her knees a few feet in front of them. She looked up at their frozen figures.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She cried.

Then she locked eyes with the frozen Dobby. Dobby, who was so kind to her. Dobby, who would sneak her crème bruleés when she would sleep over. Dobby, who would help her find Draco when they played hide-and-seek.

Dobby, who was about to die because of Bellatrix' knife.

And then, Katherine locked eyes with the terrified Hermione. Hermione, who was tortured nearly to insanity and still wasn't healed.

"I'm so sorry," Katherine cried. "I could have prevented all of this. Dobby's death. Hermione's torture. I could have prevented it all if I wasn't FIVE MINUTES TOO LATE!"

Katherine's blood began to boil. She wiped her face as she jumped to her feet and jumped out of the Pensieve. She landed and began looking around frantically. She wanted to beat the shit out of something, preferably Bellatrix, but she was dead.

Katherine's eyes were filled with fire. Her hands were clutched at her side to prevent her from tearing apart the Headmistress's office. She hadn't felt this angry since she got drunk in Australia.

But then she saw Hermione's face. Hermione was biting her lower lip in an attempt to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Katherine's face softened and she closed the distance between them. Katherine pulled Hermione into her arms and Hermione buried her head in Katherine's shoulder, crying.

"I'm sorry." Katherine whispered, her own voice hoarse from screaming and crying.

Hermione didn't answer, she just kept crying.

"I'm sorry I was five minutes too late." Katherine whispered, a tear slipping out of her eyes.

Hermione choked on a sob, but otherwise didn't reply.

"I know you're not alright, but I will help you." Katherine promised.

"You're not going to leave me?" Hermione whispered scared into Katherine's shoulder. Katherine tensed as she remembered that the boys left Hermione by not coming back this year.

"No, I'm not going to leave. I promise." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Katherine held Hermione the entire day. She didn't even notice that McGonagall had left to go teach her classes -she was still teaching because they were short staffed- until McGonagall returned carrying a tray of food for lunch.<p>

But Hermione was too busy crying to eat.

Hermione stopped after dinner and Katherine led her to the dormitory. Katherine had to leave her because she and Draco were patrolling that night. Katherine walked down to the dungeons in a blind fury. Draco was leaning against the wall, waiting for her.

"Draco!" She yelled.

"Hey, Katherine." He called oblivious to her anger until she hit him in the face. His face twisted to the right and he stumbled back.

He stared at her and she looked ready to hit him again. He jumped forward and grabbed her hands and held them at her side. She struggled, but he held her tight.

"Katherine, what's wrong?" He asked, looking at her worriedly.

"How could you?!" Katherine yelled.

"How could I what?" Draco asked.

"Your house. Hermione. Bellatrix." Katherine said, so angry she couldn't even speak in complete sentences.

Draco's face paled. "She told you."

"Showed me." Katherine corrected. "How could you just stand there?!"

Draco sighed and closed the distance between them. He rested his forehead against hers and both of them closed their eyes.

"I was so scared, Katherine." He said in a voice barely above a whisper. "All of the Death Eaters thought I was weak and a coward because I didn't kill Dumbledore. They were waiting like sharks, waiting for when they could tear me apart.

"Every day, I lived in the fear that the Dark Lord would give the signal that we were no longer in his favor. I knew the Death Eaters would kill me, rape my mother a thousand times apiece, and then torture my father for revenge. And Bellatrix wouldn't put a stop to it, even if it was her sister.

"I'm not a hero, Katherine." He sighed.

"But you could have stopped her. You could have kept her from going too far." Katherine said pained. "Goddammit, Draco, she's my best friend."

"I'm not a hero. If I saved her, the consequences would have been severe, for all of us." Draco whispered pained. "I'm not you, Katherine. I can't just say 'screw consequences.' I had to become Head of the family because my father was not mentally there half the time. Do you know what it's like to be in charge of your family at seventeen?"

"But you could have tried." Katherine pressed.

"But I didn't." Draco said simply.

"You have to apologize to her." Katherine said.

Draco laughed a short, dry laugh. "She'll never forgive me."

"She shouldn't." Katherine agreed. "But you have to apologize."

"How can I?" Draco asked, their foreheads still pressed together.

"Just say, 'I'm sorry my crazy aunt . . . um . . . tortured you . . . and I stood . . . by. . . .' Okay, you're right, this is hard." Katherine said and Draco laughed softly.

"I'll think about it."Draco said.

Katherine ripped away from him as she said, "Draco-"

"No, Katherine," He interrupted. "That's the best I can promise right now."

"Fine." Katherine said.

"Now, you look like you need a drink."

"I sure as hell do." Katherine agreed.

Draco smiled and motioned for her to wait. Then he went inside the Slytherin Common Room and emerged a few moments later, hiding a bottle under his cloak. He smiled sneakily at her and led her to a small alcove in the dungeons. She stepped inside first to see a small table with two chairs next to each other as Draco shut and locked the door. Katherine took the first seat closest to the door and Draco took the other one on her right. He transfigured two pebbles into glasses, took out the bottle, and poured them both a shot of Firewhiskey.

Katherine swallowed her shot quickly and winced as the burning liquid hit her sore throat. But she felt so much better; the pain made her feel alive. Made her remember what it was like when battling a Death Eater, where the only things she had were her wits, agility, and luck. She missed the rush of battle, she almost regretted admitting that, but she did. Everything was so heightened, so dramatic, so distracting during the War. Now, there was nothing to distract her from her pain, her guilt.

Katherine's right hand was resting on the table in between the two, and then Draco put his hand over hers, his palm on top of the back of her hand, rubbing her thumb with his. He poured them each another shot and Katherine threw it back as quickly as possible.

_Please, pain, take me away from this crap_. Katherine thought as she leaned back and closed her eyes. _Take me back to the battlefield, where everything was simple. Where you knew what to do, blow the shit out of the enemy and don't get killed yourself._

Katherine opened her eyes when she heard Draco pouring them another shot. Both downed it and sat in silence for a second, both enjoying the burn from the alcohol, the fleeting escape.

"I can't do this anymore, Draco," Katherine said, her eyes staring at the wall with a far away expression. "I'm so sick of everyone dumping all their sorrows on me; I'm not Atlas, I can't hold all of them. I'm so sick of everything. I haven't slept because of Hermione. I haven't had a moment to relax because of Order business and school and Quidditch and Head Girl duties.

"I'm so sick-" Katherine stopped when she turned her head and saw that Draco had fallen asleep, most likely before she started talking. Katherine laughed a dry, sarcastic laugh before downing her fourth shot.

"Typical." She laughed the same laugh. "I'm everyone's tissue, but no one can be mine."

"Poor Katie-Waitie." A voice mocked in a baby tone from behind her.

Katherine tensed in her seat and pulled out her wand, but, otherwise, didn't move.

"The jokes wearing thin." Katherine said. "But I must congratulate you on the perfect impersonation."

"Oh, this is no impersonation, Little Gryffindor." The voice laughed.

"Show yourself then." Katherine said, and then she saw a mass of black curls out of the corner of her right eye. She whipped around and shouted out a spell. But nothing was there, except a scorch mark on the wall because of her spell.

A cackle rang through the small alcove and Katherine's ears, and then there was silence.


	73. Chapter 73

**Two chapters within hours of each other. I think I'm making up for when school starts again and I won't be able to write whenever I want. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 73<em>

Hermione wasn't getting better. It had been almost a week, but she still wasn't getting better. Katherine did everything she could think of, short of filling Hermione with alcohol and potions. A day before the first Quidditch match of the season, Katherine realized what Hermione needed.

The next morning, the two girls were given a note from McGonagall to come to her office.

"Why does she want to see us?" Hermione asked worried as they walked to the Headmistress's office.

Katherine shrugged, pretending not to know why.

"Is this because you refuse to wear your Head Girl badge?" Hermione turned on her when they reached the door.

Katherine blinked, but could not reply because Hermione opened the door and burst in.

"Professor, it's not my fault!" Hermione cried, scared to get in trouble. "I told Katherine to wear the badge, but she won't!"

McGonagall looked up from her desk and raised her eyebrows. "Is this true, Miss Potter?"

Katherine scratched the back of her head. "Maybe."

"Well, _maybe_, you can wear it or I can permanently Stick it to your clothing." McGonagall threatened.

Katherine turned to Hermione with her lips twitching. "Hermione, I think I'm going to wear my Head Girl badge from now on."

"Excellent, Miss Potter," McGonagall said. "But, Miss Granger, I have a different reason for calling you two here."

McGonagall looked at the two high backed chairs in front of her, and then their occupants stood up.

"Ron!" Hermione cried joyously as she ran to him and hugged him.

"Harry!" Katherine matched Hermione's tone because he looked hurt that Hermione had ignored him.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley have my permission to stay the entire day. Miss Potter, make sure they return after dinner." McGonagall said.

Katherine nodded as the four left the office. Hermione and Ron walked ahead of the twins, holding hands and slowly getting farther and farther away.

"Why did you call for us?" Harry asked when the couple was out of earshot as he and Katherine meandered down the hallway.

"Because Hermione needs comfort I can't provide." Katherine said. "She needs Ron."

"She showed you what happened at Malfoy Manor?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Katherine's lips pursued.

"I hope you haven't managed to find a way to blame yourself for that." Harry lightly teased.

Katherine's face twitched. "I'm a Potter; finding ways to blame ourselves is what we do."

Harry faltered, but Katherine smiled to put him at ease.

"Now, I have to go get ready for Quidditch. Go make sure Hermione comes because she hasn't missed one of my Quidditch games yet." Katherine said with a smile.

"You know, if your Seeker gets injured, I can substitute." Harry grinned.

"Nah, we'd do better with our new Seeker." Katherine called over her shoulder as she walked away.

"I know you're not serious." Harry called to her.

"Uh, ya, sure." Katherine said.

* * *

><p>Gryffindor won the game 370 to 100, most of the goals were Katherine's. Ron and Hermione had spent the rest of the day together. Harry and Katherine had used the Marauder's Map to explore every inch of Hogwarts. Once they left, Katherine noticed that Hermione was doing much better. For most of November and December, Hermione slept the entire night, though not all the time. The entire time, though, Katherine kept hearing Bellatrix's voice whenever she was alone and her shoulder would periodically burn in pain.<p>

It was the night before everyone went home for the holiday break. Hermione was going to spend the holidays at the Burrow, while Katherine would spend them as she always did, at the Malfoys.

It was probably midnight, maybe later, Katherine didn't know because she was lying awake as her shoulder burned. Her hands were shaking and she was biting down hard on her pillow to stop herself from screaming.

Hermione was sleeping in the bed next to hers. Then the pain subsided and Katherine was left breathing hard.

Suddenly, someone jumped on her bed. She sat up to see Tonks with spiky pink hair sitting cross-legged on the end of her bed.

"I'm disappointed in you, Little One," Tonks said as Katherine stared at her. "You always saved me from Bellatrix, but the one time it mattered, you failed."

Then Remus appeared behind his wife and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Lily was always there for me, but I guess her daughter couldn't be." Remus said to her.

Then Fred appeared on her left, for once, no smile was on his face.

"You sent me to my death, Katherine. You gave the order that killed me." Fred said.

Katherine flinched as Colin, Lavender, and all the others who had died of her army appeared before her. All saying the same thing, how she led them to their deaths.

Then Katherine tensed as she felt someone appear behind her. The person threw her arms around Katherine waist and purposely rested her chin on Katherine's hurt shoulder. Katherine flinched and struggled, but the person only held her tighter.

"Shush, Katie, rest." The overly familiar voice whispered mockingly soothingly in her right ear.

"Let go, Bellatrix." Katherine whispered, struggling as the dead advanced closer to her, each speaking of how she killed them.

"Listen to them, Katie," Bellatrix whispered softly. "Oh, how you killed them."

"I never dealt the blow." Katherine countered as they started to surround her.

"You spoke the word." Bellatrix said, pressing her chin down further into Katherine's shoulder. Katherine twisted in response and turned her head to the left. She saw the Resurrection Stone resting on her bedside table.

_That's why they're here. The Resurrection Stone called them._ Katherine realized.

"Katie-Waitie kills all those she loves." Bellatrix mockingly sang as Ted Tonks and the villagers from the village that was attacked because of Katherine appeared.

Katherine started shaking in fear. She had to get rid of them, she couldn't face her guilt. Katherine ripped out of Bellatrix's arms, grabbed the Resurrection Stone, and ran out of the dormitory. The dead followed her, chased her like a pack of savage wolves. She tried running faster, but Bellatrix kept trying to trip her while cackling.

Katherine ran through Hogwarts and through the grounds. The bitter, winter wind pierced her and froze her, but she kept running. Barefoot and coatless, she ran through the snow, not caring, only wishing to get away from her demons, from those she killed.

_No_, she corrected herself. _I didn't kill them._

Bellatrix ran alongside her, mocking her with every step.

"Oooo, they're catching up. Little Gryffindor, I'm disappointed in you, aren't you supposed to brave? Face your fears, Little Gryffindor; stop running like a Hufflepuff." Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine winced at the mockery, but kept moving until she reached the edge of the Black Lake. Icy water crashed against the shore and some of it licked her feet, but she did not notice.

"You killed us. You killed us. You killed us." They repeated over and over as they surrounded you.

"I did not!" Katherine yelled, but they kept coming closer and closer.

"You killed us. You killed us. You killed us." They repeated as they began to touch her.

"I did not! Pray, leave me. I have seen your deaths a million times, remind me not again, for I cannot handle any more grief." She said, but they ignored her and pressed close to her. Their hands were outstretched and began to pull upon the skin of her face, her arms, her hands.

"You killed us." They breathed as one unit.

"Leave me be!" Katherine yelled as they began to drag her down. She ripped away from them and pushed her way to freedom. She ran into the Lake, icy water lapping around her knees. And then she threw the Resurrection Stone into the Lake. She watched it sail through the air and, with a plop, sink into the icy waters.

Katherine turned and saw that the dead were all gone, except for Bellatrix, who walked towards her.

"Very good, Katie." She mocked. "You managed to make them leave. But now you've lost your only connection to your mother."

Katherine's jaw dropped as she realized that the Resurrection Stone was her only way to speak to her mother.

"No!" Katherine yelled as she ran further into the icy water. Then she dove into the water and swam to the spot she thought the Stone had entered the water at. She came up and took a deep breath before she dove back down again. She searched the water, but saw no sign of it. The cold began to start affecting her limbs and she knew that she would have to get out of the water. She swam back to shore and pulled herself on to the wet, snowy sand.

Bellatrix was sitting on the shore, looking at Katherine amused.

"What k-k-kind of fu-fu-fuckery are you?" Katherine said, teeth chattering. "You're s-s-s-suppos-s-s-sed t-t-t-to be dead."

"Now, now, Katie, did you really think a Weasley could kill me?" Bellatrix sneered before getting up, walking over to Katherine, and then kneeling at her head.

Katherine screamed as her shoulder started to burn worse than ever before. Bellatrix cooed mockingly, and then gripped Katherine's shoulder with her talons, making Katherine scream even more.

Bellatrix then let go and started patting Katherine's wet hair, and then stroked Katherine's cheek almost motherly.

"I'm going to hurt you, Katherine," She whispered almost tenderly. "You, who got away from me. You, who I bested only once. I'm going to hurt you."

Katherine was shivering violently, but she still managed to glare at Bellatrix.

"I'm going to hurt you the same way I hurt Andromeda," Bellatrix whispered, still caressing her wet, icy cheek. "I am going to kill everyone you love. Starting with the Mudblood."

"No." Katherine tried to yell, but the cold was seeping into her bones and sucking out her strength.

"Yes." Bellatrix said, patronizingly patting the top of Katherine's head. "Now, don't you going dying on me."

Then Bellatrix looked over her shoulder.

"Ah, here comes a savior." She said in a mocking tone.

She moved to the side as a light got closer and closer. Katherine could feel her eyes closing and her feet numbing as the water licked them.

"Katherine!" A voice yelled.

Katherine looked up through blurry eyes at Draco standing in front of her. Katherine mumbled some form of greeting, the cold reaching her tongue and making it useless. Katherine barely felt Draco pulling her out of the water and half-carrying her back to the castle.

"No . . . hospital . . ." Katherine breathed.

"No, you need the Hospital Wing." Draco said, quickening his pace, dragging Katherine now.

"No . . ." Katherine breathed, her head lolling.

Then Katherine collapsed and she and Draco fell into the snow. Draco jumped up, put a Feather Light Charm on Katherine, and then carried her into the castle. Katherine then fell in unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>She woke up in the Hospital Wing right as the sun began to rise. From the taste on her tongue, she recognized potions that were meant to warm her up and get her blood flowing normally again. Katherine looked at Madam Pomfrey's office and was happy to see that the light was off. Quietly, Katherine kicked off her covers and got off her bed. Her shoulder was bothering her and she decided to see what the hell was wrong with it. She stepped in front of the mirror, and then pulled down her collar to reveal her right shoulder.<p>

There was a small, parallel to her head, black, jagged line on the top of her shoulder. As Katherine watched it, she noticed that it was growing longer.

_Oh crap!_

* * *

><p>When Hermione woke up, Katherine wasn't in her bed. Hermione didn't think much of it because she knew that Katherine sometimes went for walks at night, to think. Hermione got dressed, made sure she was packed, and then went down for breakfast.<p>

When she got back, she saw that Katherine's stuff was gone, but there was a note from Katherine saying that she was asked by McGonagall to make sure all the first years got onboard the train, so she had already left.

Hermione grabbed her stuff and joined the rest of the Gryffindors who were leaving. Ginny came over to her and the two walked to Hogsmeade Station together. Hermione looked around for Katherine, but didn't see her in the mass of people, so she and Ginny boarded and found a compartment.

Hermione didn't see Katherine at all during the trip, but she just assumed that she was either patrolling or was with Malfoy.

When the train stopped at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Hermione and Ginny got off the train. They saw Mrs. Weasley waiting for them.

They started walking towards her, but then Hermione stopped when she heard, "Granger."

Hermione turned around to see Malfoy walking over to her. When he reached her, he nodded to Ginny in greeting, who responded the same way, and then left to go join her mother.

"Granger, have you seen Katherine?" Malfoy asked civilly, which Hermione found surprising, but she just assumed that Katherine had talked to him.

"No, I thought she was with you." Hermione said.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I thought she was with you."

They both looked at the train, and then both decided to check to see if Katherine was still onboard. They walked in silence, but saw no sign of her. Then they went back onto the platform.

"Well, she'll turn up." Hermione said because she knew from experience that Katherine never left them.

Malfoy nodded in agreement, and then Hermione made a move to leave.

"Granger, wait." He said, she stopped and he began to struggle for what to say. "Granger, I'm sorry about . . . about what h-h-happened to you . . . at m-m-my house."

Hermione stared at him and he sighed.

"I don't expect you to forgive me. I definitely don't deserve it, but I wanted you to know that I'm sorry." Malfoy said.

Hermione nodded in understanding. Malfoy bowed his head slightly, and then walked away.

_What a strange day,_ Hermione thought. _First, Katherine disappears, and second, Malfoy apologizes to me_.


	74. Chapter 74

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 74<em>

The next day after they arrived at the station, Hermione sat in the kitchen of the Burrow, her chair facing the door, while she periodically looked through the window for someone walking up the driveway.

But Katherine never came.

The same day, Draco sat on the entrance hallway staircase, watching the door, and periodically getting up to look through the window for someone walking through the gates.

But Katherine never came.

At Grimmauld Place, Harry sat in his living room, facing the fireplace, waiting for some to come sprawling out of the Floo.

But Katherine never came.

At Shell Cottage, Fleur sat on the porch, looking at the beach's Apparation Point, waiting for someone to arrive with a crack.

But Katherine never came.

At the Burrow, the Weasleys sat in the living room. Ron was watching the kitchen door, hoping his girlfriend would come join them and that Katherine had returned. George, Mr. Weasley, and Percy were talking about an article in the _Prophet_ while sneaking glances at the fireplace. Both Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were openly staring at the Floo, waiting for someone to tumble out of it.

But Katherine never came.

At Malfoy Manor, Narcissa sat primly on the balcony of her room overlooking the gardens; she drank her tea while subtly looking at the gates for someone strutting up to the Manor.

But Katherine never came.

All day, they waited, but Katherine never came nor did she contact them in any way. Hermione and Narcissa grew worried that something had happened to her. The Weasleys and Fleur started to come up with a plan to find her. But both Harry and Draco started to grow angry that their sister had abandoned them.

* * *

><p>The twenty third of December found Draco walking aimlessly down Diagon Alley. Narcissa had dragged him along, but then told him to go away so she could get him, what he assumed, to be another gift. He had his hood up to protect his head against the lightly falling snow and to keep people from recognizing him.<p>

With his hands in his pockets and his head staring at the ground, he started to think about where Katherine could be. He ruled out capture almost immediately because anyone who wanted to hurt her was either dead or safely locked up in Azkaban. They already contacted Hogwarts and found out that she was not there. Draco insisted that they check the Room of Requirement, but she was still not there. If she hadn't been captured nor was she at Hogwarts, that meant that she was gone.

_But where?_ Draco moaned internally. He missed her so much and she just left. She didn't even bother to tell anyone that she was leaving. She just left.

His father was checking the wards on all the Malfoy properties to see if Katherine went to any of those places, but nothing. Narcissa kept saying that Katherine might be in Paris since Katherine knew Wizarding Paris like the back of her hand thanks to Narcissa's many shopping trips. Draco thought that, because it was Katherine, she was hiding in plain sight.

Which was why he agreed to accompany his mother to Diagon Alley. He thought that Katherine might be somewhere around there. But he hadn't seen any sign of her.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see the person in front of him and he accidently bumped into her. His hands shot out to steady her and he looked up to see Granger.

"Sorry." He mumbled as he removed his hands from her elbows.

"It's okay, Malfoy." Granger said as he moved past her. "Wait!"

He turned around to see Granger was debating with herself. He was starting to get impatient, but he knew that if he was rude to Granger, Katherine wouldn't talk to him for a month.

"Have you heard from Katherine?" Granger eventually asked.

"No, you?" Draco asked, using all of his control to remain civil.

Granger shook her head. "We decided to go searching for her. George went to Ireland to see if she was there- apparently, the Potters used to own a cottage there. Fleur is searching the south of France because Katherine had said that she would love to spend some time on the French Riviera. Harry's looking all over London and Kingsley has asked the European Ministries to tell him if she comes into their countries. Ron and Ginny are searching Scotland. I'm looking around Muggle London and here."

Draco nodded, but was a tad confused as to why see was telling him all this. After a voice which sounded eerily like Katherine told him to do the same, he told Granger what he parents were discussing.

"My father is going to look at one of our holdings in the States because the wards were not responding. He thinks she might be there. Mother believes she is hiding out in Wizarding Paris. I think she's hiding in plain sight." Draco said.

Granger nodded as she processed all this before sighing.

"Malfoy, I think we should sort of combine our searches." Granger said with an almost pained look on her face.

"How?" Draco asked, though inwardly cringing at the idea of working with the insufferable Granger. He noticed that he wasn't repulsed by the idea of working with a Muggle-born, rather he was repulsed by the idea of working with an annoying person.

"We can Floo each other if we find something or if we find her." Granger offered.

Draco considered the idea. In truth, it was a good idea. There was only so much space that his family could search and the Weasley clan could be of help. But they were Weasleys and it was Granger.

_Draco_. The same voice said in a warning tone.

Draco sighed audibly. "Fine, Granger, it's a deal."

* * *

><p>On Christmas Eve, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione sat in the living room, exchanging gifts, and eggnog. All were acting nonchalant, despite the fact that each one was glancing through the windows to see if Katherine was coming up the pathway.<p>

The Malfoys were sitting in the one living room of Malfoy Manor that featured a giant window facing the gate. Each positioned themselves so that they could look through it to see if Katherine was walking through the gate.

But she didn't come to either of them.

Both Mrs. Weasley and Narcissa left Katherine's presents under the tree, forbidding anyone from touching them. They each hoped Katherine would know that they wanted her to be there and she would come.

But she didn't.

Christmas Day passed and the presents stayed under the tree. On Boxing Day, the Weasleys, Hermione, Harry, and the Malfoys went their separate ways to search for Katherine. They all returned that night to their separate homes with nothing. The next morning, they each went out again and returned with nothing. The pattern continued until it was time to go back to Hogwarts.

Narcissa had poured a glass of champagne for Katherine on New Year's Eve, hoping that she would come.

She didn't.

* * *

><p>On the day it was time to return to Hogwarts, Hermione got to the station early since she went with her parents. She got there early mostly because she was afraid that Katherine wouldn't come back and Hermione wanted to enlist the Prefects' help in finding her.<p>

Hermione opened the door to the Prefect's compartment to see Katherine standing with her back to the door, hands clasped behind her back, staring out the window. Hermione didn't say anything because she noticed something was different about Katherine, but she didn't know what. She scanned her friend quizzically until she noticed that Katherine was wearing a high-collared shirt that completely covered the sides and back of her neck. Hermione narrowed her eyes in confusion because she had never seen her friend wear anything high-collared, not even a turtleneck.

"Katherine?" Hermione finally asked almost cautiously.

Katherine turned around and smiled at her friend.

"Hello, Hermione." Katherine smiled as if they hadn't seen each other for an hour instead of two weeks.

Hermione closed the space between them, maneuvering around the tables to the window. Hermione stopped in front of Katherine and looked her dead in the eye.

"You missed Christmas." Hermione accused.

Katherine flashed her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."

"Where were you?" Hermione asked.

"I have your present." Katherine said, completely ignoring Hermione's question.

"My-my what?" Hermione sputtered, taken aback that Katherine would disregard her. Katherine Summoned a medium sized box that had been wrapped rather poorly. She handed it to Hermione with a sheepish grin.

"I'm sorry that I gave this to you late," Katherine said. "But it is from both Harry and I."

"Where were you?" Hermione asked, looking up from the present in her arms to look at Katherine. Something flashed behind Katherine's green eyes, but it was gone quickly.

"Open your present, please." Katherine said pleasantly.

Hermione looked like she was going to argue, but decided not to. For the moment, Hermione tore off the paper and opened the box to reveal a piece of paper about the size of the Marauder's Map, but it was blank.

Hermione looked at Katherine confused, but Katherine just laughed. She pulled out her wand and tapped the paper while saying, "I read about in _Hogwarts, A History._"

The paper opened as writing appeared on it and a map of Hogwarts appeared.

"That's not the password." Hermione said exasperated.

"It most definitely is." Katherine said, lips twitching. "Now, Harry and I basically mixed the Marauder's Map and _Hogwarts, A History_, except that it won't tell you where people are like the Map. What you do is you tap an area on the map and it will tell you all about that place. If you tap one of the Common Rooms, it will tell you about the founding of the House, the ghost, and the Quidditch team."

"And I suppose you and Harry added your names to the Gryffindor Quidditch team?" Hermione asked, a smile pulling on her lips.

"Of course; we are the most important Quidditch players ever." Katherine replied with a cocky smile. "Ooo! Tap the kitchen!"

Hermione used her wand to tap the kitchen and writing appeared on top of it.

"The kitchens house the House Elves, which run Hogwarts without ever being seen by the students," Hermione read. "Then in nineteen ninety four, Hermione Granger created the S.P.E.W. organization for the benefit of the House Elves.

"Katherine! This is wonderful." Hermione exclaimed.

"I'm glad you like it." Katherine smiled. "To turn it off you say, 'I'm going to bed before either of you comes up with another brilliant plan to get us killed or worse, expelled."

Hermione smiled for a few moments, then her smile disappeared. "Where were you?"

Katherine's smile disappeared and her face darkened. "Hermione, why don't you go enjoy your gift over there?"

Hermione stiffened at Katherine's tone, but did what she said.

Hermione sat down at the Head's desk and placed her present on it. She pretended that she was looking at it, but really she was looking at Katherine again. Katherine had returned to looking out the window, with her hands clasped behind her back. Hermione looked at Katherine, trying to find some clue as to where Katherine had gone, but couldn't.

Suddenly, the door slid open and Hermione turned to see Malfoy faltering in the doorway.

"Katherine?" He whispered as if he never expected to see her again.

Katherine turned around with a smile on her face. "Hello, Draco."

He closed the distance between them quickly and was in front of her with hardly any space between them.

"Where were you?" He asked in a whisper that Hermione could barely hear.

"I got you a Christmas present." Katherine said, raising her wand to Summon it, but he knocked her hand down.

"Where were you?" Malfoy repeated, insisted.

Katherine said nothing. Hermione saw that Katherine was trying to control herself and Hermione started to get scared. An angry Katherine was not a good Katherine.

"Tell me. You owe me an explanation after what you put our mother through." Malfoy nearly growled.

Hermione saw fire flash behind Katherine's eyes, but she was still controlling herself, albeit barely.

Malfoy sighed impatiently, grabbed the sides of Katherine's face, and kissed her. It was over so quickly that Hermione thought she had imagined it. Katherine slammed the heels of her hands into Malfoy's shoulders and sent Malfoy sprawling into the table behind him. Malfoy landed bent over on his back on the table.

Hermione looked back to see a Katherine scarily similar to the drunken one from Australia. Her green eyes were flashing with angry fire, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She took furious steps towards Malfoy.

"How dare you." She spat with a look of complete disgust on her face. "Do you really think you can kiss me and I'll spill my guts like all of your other tramps?!"

Malfoy stared at her and sputtered, "Katherine, I-I-I . . ."

"Whatever." Katherine spat and walked past him and out of the compartment.

Hermione sat quietly as Malfoy lied on the table for a few moments. He then sighed as he got back to his feet.

Then so quietly that Hermione almost missed it, Malfoy whispered, "Something's wrong."

* * *

><p>Katherine stormed down the corridor until she reached the private girls' loo. She threw open the door before slamming it satisfyingly and locking it harshly.<p>

Katherine went over to the sink and braced her hands on either side. With her head lowered, Katherine tried to regain her control. With every breath, she felt herself calm down. In reality, she really wasn't mad at Draco; she just didn't want to explain anything.

Sighing, Katherine began to unbutton the top of her high-collared shirt. She pulled it down to reveal the area from her right shoulder to her neck. Over the two week holiday, the line had grown by producing forks which produced more forks which produced more forks.

The spider web, as she was calling it, had stretched across her shoulder, drifted slowly down her arm, creeped down her shoulder and chest, and crawled slowly up her neck.

"You won't be able to hide it once it reaches your face." An annoyingly familiar voice said from behind her. Annoying because that was exactly what Katherine was just thinking. Katherine locked eyes with the reflection and narrowed hers immediately in anger.

"Shut up, Bellatrix." Katherine said irritably.

"Now, now, Katie," Bellatrix pretended to pout. "Don't be mad because I'm right."

Katherine internally growled as the reflection stepped closer to her until Bellatrix was right behind her. Bellatrix's hand grabbed the back of Katherine's neck and forced her head to the left so Bellatrix could inspect the dark lines better. Bellatrix mockingly _tsked._

"You need to get this checked, Katie." Bellatrix said, her concern insincere.

"Let go." Katherine growled.

Something flashed behind Bellatrix's black eyes, and then she grabbed Katherine's right shoulder, digging her talons in while wrenching her other hand away from Katherine. Katherine bit back a scream as the pain started to overwhelm her. She was pretty sure that she would have collapsed to the floor if she hadn't been bracing herself against the sink.

Then Bellatrix let go and Katherine greedily sucked in air before turning around to face her.

"What have you done to me?" Katherine whispered as her breath passed in and out of her shakily.

Bellatrix smirked. "I have done nothing that you haven't done to yourself."

Katherine looked down, trying not to show Bellatrix that she had no idea what she meant. Katherine then looked up and Bellatrix was gone.

Then silence was more unnerving than the fact that Bellatrix should be dead.


	75. Chapter 75

**Enjoy! This chapter skips most of the spring semester.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 75<em>

It was the second Hogsmeade trip of the year and Hermione was going with Katherine and Ginny. Hermione still hadn't managed to get Katherine to tell her where she went during the holiday nor why she had left. Hermione had stopped prodding after Katherine almost exploded at her, but Ginny would try every once in awhile. And Hermione assumed that Malfoy stopped trying, or at least was biding his time until he knew he could get the answer.

Currently, they just arrived at Hogsmeade where a group of reporters were waiting. Ginny and Hermione were turning their heads to the side to avoid the cameras, but Hermione saw that Katherine was staring at the reporters with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Miss Potter, can you answer some questions?" One asked. Hermione waited for Katherine to sneer and say something about how she can't trust the press to not manipulate her words.

"Alright." Katherine said, waving her wand to cause a table to appear with chairs. She turned to Hermione and Ginny in an unspoken question to participate. Ginny shook her head and went inside the Three Broomsticks. Hermione didn't want to participate, but something wasn't right with Katherine and she was worried.

Katherine and Hermione took seats, and then Katherine raised her eyebrow in question, signaling the reporters to start.

"Miss Potter, a new report has come out that says that you were at Malfoy Manor for all of April last year. Why?" A reporter asked.

"Because the report felt inclined to include that fact." Katherine replied seriously, eyes flashing with snarkiness. Hermione bit back a laugh.

"No, Miss Potter, I mean-"

"I know what you meant," Katherine interrupted coolly. "I wanted to see if they teach humor at journalism school, or whatever it is you majored in."

The reporters looked at each other nervously, but decided to plow onwards.

"The Ministry has declared that there will be a day of celebrations on May second to celebrate the end of the War. Will you be participating?" Another reported asked.

"No, those of us who actually fought in the War will be mourning the people who died to protect you." Katherine replied, her tone like ice.

The reporter shifted nervously in response.  
>Katherine's cold gaze scanned the entire group. Hermione stared at her puzzled because she had never seen Katherine behave so poorly around the press. Even though Katherine hated them, she still behaved well and pretended like she liked them.<p>

Then Katherine's face twisted into a sneer. "It still surprises me that the likes of _you_ are allowed to participate in the celebrations. Shouldn't those who fought and the loved ones of those who died be allowed to appreciate that day? Those who were faced with death every single day because they chose to stand up. What were _you _doing during the War? Writing praising articles of Voldemort? -Oh wait, you wouldn't say his name, you're too cowardly for that.- So, writing about how wonderful the Dark Lord is and how evil Harry Potter is, right?"

Most of the reporters had the decency to look away embarrassed, but the rest were glaring outright at Katherine. All Hermione could see was the end of Katherine's reputation and the humiliation that will follow it.

"Katherine," Hermione whispered, hoping it would make her friend gain control.

But Katherine ignored her and stood up. "Oh, but we mustn't forget about me. What did you write about me? Did you write about how I was separated from my friends? About how I could not sleep because I was running from Death Eaters? About how I was captured and tortured while you were basking in Voldemort's affection?

"I fought against him! I was tortured! I was Marked by his cause!" Katherine screamed at the reporters as she started to pull up her left sleeve. Hermione saw the action and knew something was not right because Katherine never showed anyone the Mark Bellatrix drew in her. Hermione immediately slammed her hand down and closed her hand around the end of the sleeve, preventing Katherine from pulling it anymore.

Katherine jerked in her grasp, but Hermione held on. Katherine jerked again and Hermione was standing, glaring into her friend's eyes, trying to make her understand.

Katherine ripped her arm away and stormed inside the Three Broomsticks. Hermione, without sparing a glance for the press, followed quickly. When she got inside, she saw Katherine arguing with Madam Rosmerta at the bar.

"I'm eighteen!" Katherine almost screamed.

"McGonagall doesn't like intoxicated students at school." Rosmerta countered.

"I'm not going to get drunk!" Katherine growled.

Hermione came over to Katherine at the same time as Ginny.

"Katherine, it's only eleven." Hermione whispered.

Katherine whipped her head to her left and her piercing green eyes almost quite literally stabbed Hermione.

"I'm not getting drunk, Hermione, especially with those vultures outside. Even I don't hate myself that much." Katherine spat, twisting her face in disgust.

Hermione didn't know how to respond to that. She noticed Malfoy moving through the crowds over to them, but she didn't pay him much attention. Suddenly, Katherine turned her head to the right as if she was listening to someone talking right behind her. Hermione looked around Katherine and saw no one. Rosmerta had moved on and was serving other Hogwarts kids. But Katherine kept looking as if she was listening to someone talking to her. But no one was there.

Katherine shook her head, and then reached over the bar for the bottle of Firewhiskey. Hermione grabbed her left shoulder and pulled Katherine back, her fingers just brushing the bottle. Katherine growled in frustration and turned to look at Hermione with flashing eyes.

"No alcohol, Katherine." Hermione commanded.

"I'm not a child, Hermione." Katherine sneered. "Don't treat me like one."

Katherine stared at Hermione, waiting for her to reply, but Hermione didn't know what to say. She noticed that Malfoy was narrowing his eyes in confusion at Katherine, but he was trying to figure her out from a safe distance away.

Katherine was still staring at her, making her uncomfortable, but she didn't know how to stop it. Katherine sighed and pushed her way out of Three Broomsticks.

Hermione, Ginny, and Malfoy watched her go. Hermione heard Malfoy sigh from behind her.

She didn't turn around as she said, "Malfoy?"

"I know." Malfoy whispered. "Something's wrong."

* * *

><p>Katherine stormed out into the snow; she managed to avoid the press as she made her way to the Shrieking Shack. No one was around, which was good. Katherine stopped in front of the wired fence that separated the path to the Shack from the rest of Hogsmeade.<p>

Katherine paused, and then turned around, getting right in the face of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"What the hell are you?" Katherine said, searching Bellatrix's face for an answer.

But Bellatrix just smirked and lazily twirled her curved wand in her hand.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Katie." Bellatrix said in a mockingly sweet tone.

"What are you?" Katherine snarled. "No one can see you, except me."

"They can see me, Katie. But they choose not to." Bellatrix said.

"No! They can't see you! I saw Hermione trying to see who I was talking to, but she didn't see you!" Katherine yelled, slowly losing control.

"She chose not to." Bellatrix said simply.

"BULLSHIT!" Katherine roared, pulling out her wand and pointing it in Bellatrix's face. "Now, tell me what you are!"

Bellatrix smirked. "I'm me."

Katherine's wand tip started to glow as her mouth formed the beginnings of a curse. Suddenly, Bellatrix side-stepped the wand and grabbed Katherine's shoulder with her talons. Katherine screamed and collapsed to her knees, but Bellatrix didn't let go. Her grip intensified until Katherine dropped her Bristlecone Pine wand. Bellatrix removed her hand, and then grabbed the roots of Katherine's hair, wrenching her head back.

"You may have outrun me over the holidays, but you came back and that was your mistake." Bellatrix whispered.

Katherine struggled, but couldn't break the grip.

"Why did you come back, Katie-Waitie?" Bellatrix asked, almost sounding sincerely interested in the answer.

"To keep Hermione safe _from_ _you._" Katherine spat and Bellatrix yanked on her hair in response.

Bellatrix then started cackling. "Oh, Little Gryffindor, do you really think that if I wanted to kill your ickle Mudblood, _you could_ stop me?"

"I stopped you plenty of times." Katherine protested.

"But not when it mattered, right, Little One?"

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up again for the fifth time in the past fortnight. This time was no different than the others; Katherine was sitting on the edge of her bed, watching the door, wand ready in hand.<p>

"Katherine?" Hermione whispered in surprise.

"Go to sleep, Hermione." Katherine ordered like she did each time.

"Katherine, is something wrong?" Hermione asked.

Katherine shook her head, but still didn't look at Hermione.

This happened many more times throughout the next few months. Hermione confided in Ginny that something was wrong with Katherine, yet neither had done anything about it. Ginny thought that Katherine would just get over it like she always did. Hermione didn't think that, but she got distracted by N.E.W.T.'s.

Hermione was in the Common Room late at night, studying for her first test. Everyone had gone to bed hours ago, including Katherine. Hermione was pouring over her notes when she heard someone coming down the steps.

The chair Hermione was sitting in kept the person from seeing her, but Hermione could see the person. She saw Katherine walking into the Common Room with a troubled expression on her face.

"Shut up." Katherine muttered.

Hermione looked around and did not see anyone. She looked at Katherine in confusion.

"I thought I said to shut up." Katherine snarled at no one.

Hermione considered letting Katherine know that she was there, but then Katherine nearly screamed in anger.

"Shut up!" Katherine yelled, turning so her back was to Hermione. "My friends care about me."

Katherine paused as if listening to someone, and then she started shaking her head vigorously.

"Just because they're not badgering me every second about my health doesn't mean they don't care!" Katherine yelled before pausing again. "Just shut up!"

Hermione looked around again, but there was no one there. Katherine was yelling at the air.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WANT POWER?!" Katherine screamed at the empty space.

Katherine's head then fell and she sighed. "Just shut up."

Then Katherine walked through the portrait and out of the Common Room, leaving Hermione wondering what the hell had just happened.

* * *

><p>"The answer's C." Bellatrix whispered into Katherine's ear.<p>

"Shut up." Katherine growled under her breath as she scanned the question.

_Just ignore her; she's trying to make you fail_. Katherine told herself as she reread the question again. _Dammit, she's right_.

Katherine sneakily tried to circle C without Bellatrix noticing, but it didn't work. Bellatrix smirked and told Katherine she told her so.

The two were in the History of Magic N.E.W.T testing room. Katherine was sitting in a desk, while Bellatrix was leaning on top of it, her legs right next to Katherine.

"Why can't they see you?" Katherine whispered, using the scratching of everyone's quills as a cover.

"Now, now, Katie, I can't give away all my secrets." Bellatrix mocked.

Katherine inwardly growled, and then ignored Bellatrix in favor of her test. Bellatrix remained quiet for nearly fifteen minutes before she leaned in close to Katherine's ear.

"Tell me a secret, Katie." Bellatrix whispered, her breath on Katherine's ear making Katherine shudder.

"You're an arse. Oh wait, you already knew that." Katherine responded, trying to ignore her.

"No, tell me your most secret ambition." Bellatrix clarified, never moving from her position.

"To understand what the hell you are." Katherine whispered. "I watched you die. I checked to make sure you were dead. I buried you. You can't be here."

Bellatrix laughed in amusement. "Do you really find it hard to believe that the Dark Lord would entrust me with his secret?"

"Are you trying to tell me that you have a Horcrux?" Katherine whispered.

"Oh yes, Katie, it's you." Bellatrix whispered.

Katherine's lips twitched as she held back her laughter.

"I see you don't believe me." Bellatrix said, pulling back to look Katherine in the eye.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "You should know that if I detected any part of your soul in me, I would commit suicide just to kill it."

Bellatrix smirked and patronizingly patted Katherine's head. "Yes, yes, Katie. By the way, you're doing a wonderful job at that."

Katherine didn't have time to process what Bellatrix had just said because Bellatrix suddenly grabbed Katherine's chin. Bellatrix moved Katherine's head so that she was forced to look at her. Katherine glanced around to see if anyone noticed, but no.

"I don't understand you, Katherine." Bellatrix said and Katherine was caught off guard at how sincere she sounded. "You have all of the Wizarding World at your feet. They would give you the Crown Jewels if you asked for them. And yet, you do nothing; you don't even acknowledge their love for you."

"And what would you rather have me do?" Katherine said, rolling her eyes.

"Use their love, gain control of the Ministry, and rule." Bellatrix's eyes lit up in excitement.

Katherine had to resist laughing again. "All year, you've been telling me how you're going to hurt me. Now, you want me to rule you?"

"You'd be a good person to follow." Bellatrix said, moving her hand to caress Katherine's cheek. "Think of the things we could do together."

_Destruction_. Katherine thought.

"You would rule through love and I would enforce your policies through fear." Bellatrix whispered, her eyes lighting up again. Her hand continued to caress Katherine's cheek, even starting to trace the scar Katherine got her first year.

_No._

"You could be great." Bellatrix whispered.

"I am great." Katherine countered.

Bellatrix grabbed Katherine's face and moved in close to her. "No, you're not. But you will be once you stop pandering to the wills of others."

* * *

><p>That night, Katherine and Hermione walked up to the Astronomy Tower. They both went to the railing and stared out at the view. Hermione, though, was subtly looking at her friend.<p>

"Hermione," Katherine whispered with a pained look on her face.

"Yes, Katherine?" Hermione asked, hopeful that Katherine would tell her what was bothering her.

Katherine stood silent as flickers of emotions passed across her face. Just when Hermione thought Katherine was going to tell her, Katherine sighed and pushed away from the rail. Katherine started walking towards the door.

"Katherine!" She heard Hermione exclaim from behind her. Katherine stopped and turned around. Hermione was looking at her as if she betrayed her.

"Hermione, stop." Katherine said.

"Stop what?" A bemused Hermione asked.

"Stop probing!" Katherine yelled before forcing herself to take a deep breath to calm down. "I can't tell you what's going on, but I'm protecting you."

"From what, Katherine?" Hermione asked.

Katherine opened her mouth, but Hermione was scared stiff of Bellatrix, so she kept her mouth shut.

Suddenly, Katherine heard a mad cackle. She twisted around, but saw no sign of Bellatrix. Katherine turned back to Hermione, who was looking at her like she was crazy.

Then the stone began to groan. Katherine narrowed her eyes in confusion. Suddenly, the part of the Tower that Hermione was standing on started to fall. Katherine's and Hermione's eyes widened in fear. Katherine ran to Hermione, but the stone was giving way. Both girls stretched out their arms to one another, but Hermione was falling.

"Katherine!" She screamed as the Tower collapsed.

"Hermione!" Katherine yelled, leaning over the side, watching her friend falling to her death.

"Katherine?" A voice said, sounding as if there was fog in it. Katherine shook her head as the voice kept repeating her name. Katherine closed her eyes and when she opened them, Hermione was standing in front of her and the Tower was fine.

Hermione was staring at Katherine in concern. Katherine sighed in relief that her friend hadn't fallen off the Tower.

"Oh, Hermione." Katherine cried out as she pulled Hermione into her arms.

Hermione, for her part, just held Katherine as she cried.

Neither girl understood what had just happened.


	76. Chapter 76

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 76<em>

N.E.W.T.'s were finally over and Hermione and Katherine were walking back to Gryffindor Tower from dinner. They had reached the second floor, when Katherine heard a cackle. Katherine twisted to her right and saw Bellatrix coming to them.

"Go away." Katherine said, nearly growling.

Bellatrix smirked as Katherine felt Hermione trying to move next to her. Katherine threw out her left arm, stopping Hermione.

"Go away." Katherine growled.

"How about no, Katie?" Bellatrix asked mockingly, as she twirled her curved wand. "Why don't you get out of my way and let me have my fun with your little Mudblood?"

Katherine whipped out of her wand and pointed it in Bellatrix's face. She heard Hermione gasp in fear behind her.

"Don't worry, Hermione, I'll handle it." Katherine said, turning her head around to flash Hermione a reassuring smile for a second.

"We'll see about that, Little Gryffindor." Bellatrix smirked before jerking her wand and sending a jinx at Katherine, who easily parried it.

"_Stupefy!_" Katherine yelled as Hermione gasped again, but Bellatrix smoothly dodged it.

Bellatrix sent a Banishing Charm at them, but Katherine blocked it with a shield. Bellatrix cackled before starting to escape down the stairs.

Katherine chased after her, sending Stunners at Bellatrix, but kept missing.

"Katherine, wait! Stop!" Hermione yelled from behind her, but Katherine kept racing after Bellatrix, even jumping down the last few steps to the first landing. Katherine landed and rolled forward, casting a jinx that barely missed Bellatrix's head.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Bellatrix laughed as she started to descend down the last flight of stairs.

Katherine straightened up and, with a wild fire in her eye, she started to build up a powerful spell on the tip of her wand. She was about to release it when Hermione grabbed her hand, knocking her arm down, and forcing the spell to hit the stone step and leave a giant hole.

Katherine knocked Hermione off of her and freed her wand.

"Katherine, stop!" Hermione yelled frantically, her brown eyes darting around wildly.

Katherine's own eyes flared. "Not until she's dead. TRULY DEAD THIS TIME!"

Hermione's eyes widened as Katherine turned around and chased Bellatrix down the stairs. Katherine's blood was boiling in anger as Bellatrix mockingly cackled.

Katherine was half way down the last flight when Bellatrix turned into the Entrance Hall. Katherine increased her speed, and was about to turn the corner when Bellatrix sent a curse at her, so Katherine jumped back to hide behind the wall.

"Katie-Waitie! Come out and play-ie!" Bellatrix mockingly sang.

"Katherine!" Hermione yelled as she came down the stairs.

Katherine took a deep breath, and then jumped out of her hiding spot. A Shield in front of her as she closed the distance between her and Bellatrix. Katherine casted another curse that exploded into the wall, instead of hitting Bellatrix.

The explosion must have drawn the attention of McGonagall and the other professors because they ran out of the Great Hall.

"Miss Potter! What are you doing?" McGonagall demanded as Hermione joined them.

"Dealing with a Death Eater." Katherine responded as she ducked a curse from a cackling Bellatrix.

"Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked Hermione in confusion.

"I don't know, Professor." Hermione replied worriedly as Katherine saw Draco walk into the Entrance Hall.

"What are you talking about?!" Katherine screamed at them, all of them, the teachers and friends who were staring at her like she was out of her mind. "SHE'S RIGHT THERE!"

"I told you, Katie." Bellatrix smirked as she redirected Katherine's latest jinx. "They choose not to see me."

"SHUT UP!" Katherine roared as she sent a flurry of spells at Bellatrix, who blocked them with a smirk.

"No." Bellatrix said before disappearing.

Katherine's eyes widened in confusion as she started to turn in circles frantically looking for Bellatrix. She vaguely noticed that the professors, Hermione, and Draco were creating a circle around her.

Katherine heard a cackle from behind her. She whipped around and fired a curse that whizzed past McGonagall's ear.

But there was no sign of Bellatrix.

Katherine stayed

put, her eyes moving from side to side wildly.

"Katherine, stop." Hermione pleaded from Katherine's left. Katherine turned to face her.

"D-d-don't worry, H-H-Hermione," Katherine stuttered from fear of failure more than fear of Bellatrix. "I-I-I won't let-t-t-t her hurt you again."

"Are you so sure of that, Katie?" Bellatrix said, suddenly appearing in between Katherine and Hermione.

Katherine's eyes filled with thunderous fire. "_Cru-"_

"_Stupefy."_ Someone whispered from behind her and Katherine fell into the darkness.

* * *

><p>Everyone stared at the frightened Hermione before looking at Malfoy, who was still pointing his wand at Katherine's back.<p>

"Are you alright, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked coming to Hermione's side. Hermione, for her part, was still staring at her unconscious friend in shock.

_Katherine almost used the Cruciatus Curse on me!_

"I-I-I'm fine." Hermione stuttered.

"I think the more important problem here is what is wrong with Katherine." Malfoy said as he kneeled down next to Katherine's prone form.

Malfoy picked up Katherine's wand and put it along with his in his pocket. Then he swept Katherine into his arms and stood up.

"I'm taking her to the Hospital Wing." Malfoy declared as started towards the stairs.

McGonagall instructed the other professors to keep the other students out of the Hospital Wing and to fix the damages to the school Katherine created. Hermione numbly followed Malfoy and barely registered hearing McGonagall doing the same.

Hermione couldn't believe what had just happened. Everything that happened was so un-Katherine, but it was Katherine. She was acting possessed, but she wasn't. She was completely Katherine.

_And she tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on me!_ Hermione screamed in her head as she started shaking.

Katherine's eyes were the scariest part of it. Her eyes were exploding with anger and ferocity, and were ten times worse than Katherine's eyes when she was drunk in Australia. Hermione almost thought Katherine was going to kill her, if it weren't for Katherine telling her everything was going to be fine.

_"Cru-"_ The memory of Katherine's voice twisted into Bellatrix Lestrange's voice and suddenly, Hermione was back on the floor of Malfoy Manor with nothing but pain. All she could hear was her own screams. All she could feel was the endless, unforgiving pain.

"Hermione?" A voice managed to break through the pain and Hermione was back in Hogwarts. She was right in front of the Hospital Wing, but couldn't remember getting there.

Hermione turned her head to the left and saw McGonagall peering at her worriedly.

"I'm sorry, Professor." Hermione said, quickly wiping away a tear.

"You have no reason to be sorry," McGonagall said before getting a faraway look in her face. "It was scary for all of us."

The door opened and Malfoy stopped in front of them.

"I'm calling my mother, Professor." Malfoy said.

McGonagall nodded and Malfoy moved past them and down the corridor. Then McGonagall grabbed Hermione's elbow and led the way into the Hospital Wing. Katherine was lying, still unconscious, in one of the middle beds on the window side of the Wing.

"Katherine's going to be annoyed that she's not in her usual bed." Hermione whispered with a small smile to McGonagall, whose lips twitched.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, her arms full of potions, as she went over to Katherine. Hermione and McGonagall joined her.

Hermione looked down at Katherine. Her friend's face was screwed up in pain, but she hadn't woken up yet.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "Mr. Malfoy only said that he had to Stun her."

"She started attacking the air." Hermione explained as simply as she could.

"Why?" Pomfrey asked.

"We were hoping you could tell us." McGonagall said.

Then the doors flew open and Narcissa Malfoy ran to Katherine's bed, ignoring everyone. She took Katherine's face in her hands, leaned forward, and whispered something, but Katherine did not respond or move. Malfoy moved silently to his mother's side.

"Mother, you're in Madam Pomfrey's way." Malfoy whispered. His mother nodded and removed her hands from Katherine's face. She and Malfoy turned to Madam Pomfrey.

Madam Pomfrey scanned Katherine's entire body with her wand, frowned, scanned again, and her frown deepened even more.

"What is it, Poppy?" McGonagall asked with concern.

"It doesn't make sense." Madam Pomfrey said, furrowing her brow. "My scans tell me that Miss Potter has internal injuries on every part of her body, but there is no sign of any injuries."

"Take off her clothes." Malfoy commanded.

All of the others turned their heads and gave him equally dirty looks.

"Don't give me those looks," Malfoy countered. "If something is wrong internally, we have to check. And the only way to do that is to remove her clothing."

"He's right." Madam Pomfrey said.

Malfoy was about to say that he told her, but his mother cut him off by moving him away from the bed, and then placing a divider around Katherine's bed.

Hermione watched as Madam Pomfrey gingerly unbuttoned Katherine's shirt, and then gasped as she removed the shirt. Mrs. Malfoy gasped in fright, her hand flying to her mouth so precisely that Hermione would have thought the emotion was fake if it weren't for the witch's love for Katherine. McGonagall's lips pursued severely and Hermione could have sworn she heard a muttered oath. Hermione, however, was staring in mute shock at her friend's body. A spider web of black, jagged lines covered every part of Katherine's body, except for her face.

"What is that?" Hermione breathed in disgust and shock.

"Dark Magic." Mrs. Malfoy whispered, her hand still at her mouth. Then Mrs. Malfoy stuck her head out from the divider. "Draco, call St. Mungo's and tell them to hurry."

"What is it?" Malfoy asked, and did Hermione detect a hint of concern?

"Dark Magic." Mrs. Malfoy whispered.

Hermione heard Malfoy swear before his footsteps led him out of the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey put Katherine's shirt back on and continued to do scans on her. Then Madam Pomfrey's face paled.

"Her heart rate is slowing and her breathing is shallow." Madam Pomfrey said.

The three other witches looked at her incomprehensively.

Madam Pomfrey sighed in annoyance. "She's dying."

"What?" McGonagall and Hermione exclaimed as Mrs. Malfoy said, "Do something!"

Madam Pomfrey grabbed several potions and poured them down Katherine's throat, but there appeared to be no change.

Suddenly, a scream pierced through the Hospital Wing. The four witches looked to see Katherine awake and screaming bloody murder.

"GET IT OUT!" Katherine screamed in agony, sounding like a person on fire. "IT BURNS! IT BURNS!"

Katherine arched her back and neck as she screamed again. "IT BURNS! GET IT OUT!"

Then she fell against the pillows, her head turned to the right, and her arm outstretched to no one there.

"Cedric," She whispered, breathing harshly. "Cedric, tell em it hurts. Tell em to fix it. Cedric, tell-"

Katherine was interrupted by another scream, she doubled over as she screamed again. "GET IT OUT! I'M BURNING!"

Hermione finally snapped herself out of her shock. "Katherine! Katherine!"

Katherine stopped screaming, rolled over onto her back, and sat up. She was staring at Hermione like a five year old, green eyes wide and innocent.

"Hermione," Katherine started, but then a fit of coughing overwhelmed her, drops of blood were coughed onto the pristine, white sheet. "H-H-Hermione," Katherine panted, but then continued. "My . . . friend," Katherine coughed again, more blood sprinkled the sheet. "You-you-you . . . 'll . . . h-h-help . . ." Katherine panted and coughed again, bigger drops of blood came out. "H-h-help me?"  
>"Of course, tell me what I can do." Hermione said hurriedly, leaning forward and placing her hands on the rail on the end of Katherine's bed.<p>

Katherine smiled, her front teeth slightly red. "Get . . . get," Katherine panted, her breathing sounding like it hurt. "A . . . kn-kn-knife . . ." Katherine's right hand acted as if it closed around the handle of an imaginary dagger. "And . . . and . . . p-p-p-put it . . . there." The hand slammed into Katherine's heart.

Hermione's eyes widened and her lips parted in shock.

"I can't do that." Hermione whispered.

A betrayed look took hold of Katherine's face before it was ripped away by another scream. Katherine arched her neck back and screamed in utter agony.

"THEN I'LL DO IT MYSELF!" Katherine roared the second the scream ended. Then Katherine tried to jump up from the bed, but Madam Pomfrey and Mrs. Malfoy held her down. But Katherine kept fighting them. Hermione and McGonagall joined in to hold her down, but she was fighting them off.

"_Stupefy!_" A voice said. The red jet of light hit Katherine, who froze stiff as a board and fell back against the bed, unconscious.

The four witches turned to see Malfoy pointing his wand at Katherine and a couple of St. Mungo's employees carrying a stretcher. Hermione barely paid attention as one of the employees drilled Madam Pomfrey with questions. She watched as the other two put Katherine on the stretcher. Soon, all three were leaving, quickly walking down the hallway once they felt Katherine's pulse.

Mrs. Malfoy started following them as did Malfoy, but then his mother turned around and stopped him.

"No, Draco, you can't come. You still have a test tomorrow." Mrs. Malfoy said.

Malfoy bristled. "It doesn't matter. Katherine matters right now."

"Your future matters."

"What about Katherine's future?" Malfoy countered, nearly yelling. "Her life's in danger."

"All that is going to happen is surgery. You could better spend that time taking your test." Mrs. Malfoy said firmly.

Malfoy looked ready to bitingly reply, but McGonagall interrupted him. "Mr. Malfoy, you cannot leave Hogwarts until you finish your test."

Anger flashed across Malfoy's face, but he quickly concealed it, nodded his head in understanding, and then stormed out. Mrs. Malfoy went out the doors with more dignity than her son.

"Aren't you going to St. Mungo's, Hermione?" McGonagall asked.

Hermione shook her head, still numb from everything that had just happened. "I'm going to tell Harry, and then go to the library. I need to find out what happened. Besides, when Katherine wakes up, she'll want to know."

A look of pity danced across the Headmistress's face. "Miss Granger, Katherine may never wake up."

Hermione defiantly shook her head like a child. "No, Professor, it's Katherine, and Katherine always survives."

With that, Hermione turned on her heel and walked out of the Hospital Wing, but she still heard McGonagall.

"Out of that group, I had always thought that Miss Granger was the more realistic," McGonagall said to Madam Pomfrey. "But now I realized that it was really only Katherine who was. Even Katherine would admit that she was most likely not going to survive. I know she has survived numerous battles before, but this time is different; this time, she's fighting to save her own life."

"It must be a frightening new experience for her." Madam Pomfrey said, her lips slightly twitching.

"Shush." McGonagall said, though her own lips were twitching. "We mustn't laugh at tragedy."

"Considering Katherine always jokes during tragedy, she would probably haunt us forever if we didn't laugh at hers."

The two witches were soon out of hearing and Hermione used the Floo in McGonagall's office. She called Harry at Grimmauld Place; he quickly came to the Floo.

"Harry, Katherine's in St. Mungo's. She's been hit by Dark Magic. I don't know any details." Hermione quickly spat out.

"I'll head there now. Who else is there?" Harry asked, looking impatient to leave.

"Mrs. Malfoy." Hermione responded. Harry nodded, jumped to his feet, and left. Hermione withdrew her head, and then went to the library.

* * *

><p>A couple hours later, Hermione was pouring after book after book, trying to find what was wrong with Katherine. No luck whatsoever.<p>

"It's time to go to sleep, Miss Granger." A voice said, startling Hermione out her book.

"Can't." Hermione slurred.

"Katherine would want you to sleep." McGonagall said.

"Isn't it funny how once a person is unable to speak for themselves, everyone knows perfectly what they would say?" Hermione snapped. She looked up and saw McGonagall's taken aback expression, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Professor. I'll go to sleep now."

"When you wake up, you can use my Floo to contact Mr. Potter again." McGonagall said.

Hermione nodded, and made her way to Gryffindor Tower. It wasn't until she was in front of the Fat Lady did she curse in surprise because she forgot that, she too, had a test tomorrow. A test that she hadn't studied for.

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up early because Harry had Floo called her. She made her way to McGonagall's office and saw a tired looking Harry with his head sticking out of the fireplace.<p>

"Tell me what's happened." Hermione said, not even bothering with pleasantries.

"They immediately took Katherine into an operating room, but neither Mrs. Malfoy nor I are allowed in." Harry said, frowning. "They put her on tons of life support potions because her heart rate and breathing are slowing dangerously. But they've been working all night long and they haven't fixed her. One Healer almost fainted in exhaustion, so they had to call in another."

"But what's wrong with her?" Hermione pressed.

"I don't know. We haven't been able to talk to a Healer since they keep sending in more." Harry said, his frown deepening. "They won't let us go into the room either. We can only stand outside it and look through the window at what's going on."

"Did Katherine wake up?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.

"At one point, but she started screaming, and fighting them, and yelling to let her kill herself." Harry said, looking down in pain. Hermione's face paled. "So, they Stunned her and she hasn't woken up since."

"But you don't know what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"No, but I overheard one of them saying that they need more life support potions." Then Harry breathed in shakily. "Hermione, what if she dies?"

Hermione tried to tell him that Katherine wouldn't, but he didn't let her. "I can't lose her, too. She's the last bit of my family I have left; I can't lose her."

"Harry, she won't die." Hermione said, but then the clock chimed, signaling that her test was going to start in ten minutes. "Harry-"

"I heard." Harry said. "I'll call you after lunch."

* * *

><p>Hermione managed to focus on her test before she raced upstairs to talk to Harry. She was scared that Harry would tell her that Katherine had died. She ran faster.<p>

When she got into the Headmistress's office, Harry's head was already in the fireplace. He had a mournful look on his face. Hermione raced to kneel in front of him.

"What's happened?" Hermione asked, hoping he wouldn't give her the dreaded news.

"Mrs. Malfoy finally made a Healer tell her what's going on. I was surprised she was able to be that clever; she hasn't slept the entire time and she refused to sit down until she realized she could still see inside the room while seated." Harry said, before taking a deep breath. "The Healer said that the Dark Magic has attached itself to every part of her. Her nervous system, her muscles, her bones, her organs, and her brain. They're surprised she's still alive since she's had the curse in her system for over a year.

"They tried to remove the curse for her body, but it was like cutting of the serpent's head, so to speak, it just kept sprouting more lines. So, they worked to find the source and found two: where her brain meets her spine, and her right shoulder. It took them hours, but they managed to kill the spinal source, but they stopped."

"Why?" Hermione asked.

Pain crossed through Harry's eyes -_Katherine's eyes_. "They're afraid that because the curse has been in trouble of everything vital in Katherine for a year, that if they take it out, her systems will fail."

"So what are they doing now?" Hermione asked urgently.

"Talking." Harry said, looking annoyed. "They're trying to figure out what to do."

"And Katherine hasn't woken up?" Hermione asked.

"No, she-" Harry was interrupted by someone talking on his end. "Hold on."

Harry's head disappeared for several moments, and then appeared. He looked so worn, but he managed to smile, albeit tiredly, at her.

"Katherine woke up," Harry said, looking slightly relieved. "The Healers talked to her about removing the curse and she told them to go ahead. They're in surgery right now, so I'll call you when it's over."

* * *

><p>It was after dinner when Harry called, looking even worse than before.<p>

"How'd it go?" Hermione asked.

"They don't know. The curse is gone and her systems didn't immediately collapse, but they didn't get any better either. She's out and hasn't woken up since they started the surgery." Harry said, pain etched into his face. "They said if she makes it through the night, she'll survive."

"I'm coming." Hermione declared.

"No," Harry said firmly. "There's too many of us here with Malfoy and Mrs. Malfoy and me. They won't let you in."

"What's Malfoy doing there?" Hermione asked, sounding almost jealous.

"He's her brother, too, as much as I hate to admit it. He also gave his mother her wand." Harry said. "Look, I'll call you in the morning with the news."

"Okay."

* * *

><p>Hermione woke up before dawn. She had been tossing and turning on the floor of McGonagall's office all night. Every single one of her dreams had some version of Katherine dead. It seemed so surreal to Hermione that Katherine was dying. She has always harassed Death Eaters and survived, but now she was actually dying.<p>

Hermione tried to imagine her life without her best friend and couldn't. She couldn't imagine Katherine not being there for her.

Suddenly, the fireplace roared to life and Harry's head appeared. He looked as if he had aged ten years in the last few hours. He looked so mournful that Hermione began to prepare herself for the worst.

Then Harry's eyes lit up in a smile. "She's fine."


	77. Chapter 77

**This chapter will explain where Katherine went. Enjoy!**

_Chapter 77_

Hermione arrived at St. Mungo's and made her way to Katherine's room. Harry was waiting outside of it for her. Hermione hugged him in relief, and then stepped back.

"We can't go in yet." Harry said, hands in his pockets, with his back to the door.

"Why not?" Hermione said, looking around Harry to look through the window to see Katherine lying on a bed, talking to Mrs. Malfoy.

"Mrs. Malfoy needs to talk to her alone." Harry said, running a hand through his hair before putting it back in his pocket.

"Where's Malfoy?" Hermione asked, internally wincing as she saw Katherine's face screw up in pain when she tried to shift her position.

"Mrs. Malfoy sent him home to clean up and change his clothes." Harry said, as Hermione's eyes moved to look at Mrs. Malfoy.

"She's still wearing the same clothes from two days ago." Hermione said, slightly frowning.

"She refused to leave. She wouldn't even sleep." Harry said. Hermione looked at him.

"You both look extremely tired." Hermione said worriedly.

"It's been stressful." Harry said, trying to ease the tension with a slight smile.

"You should go home, Harry." Hermione said.

"I will after I talk to her." Harry promised.

Then the two friends turned their heads when they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Malfoy was walking purposely to the room. He stopped in front of the door and nodded to Harry and Hermione before knocking on the door.

A moment later, Mrs. Malfoy opened the door. Malfoy tried to push his way into the room, but then Harry threw his arm across the doorway.

"I'm first." Harry said.

Anger flashed across Malfoy's face. "Look here, Potter-"

"Are you two going to bicker or come talk to me?" A hoarse voice said from inside the room. The boys stopped arguing, and then went into the room. Mrs. Malfoy stepped out and waited outside the room with Hermione.

Hermione watched as Harry and Malfoy talked to Katherine, who was wincing every time she tried to move. Eventually, the two boys walked out of the room and into the hallway. After Malfoy closed the door, he and his mother walked across the hall to talk.

"She's fine, Hermione, but she needs some time to recuperate." Harry said.

"I can go talk to her?" Hermione asked.

"Not yet," Harry said, looking over his shoulder into the room where Katherine was now sleeping. "Why don't you and I go to lunch, and then you can come back?"

"You're not coming back?" Hermione asked.

"I have to get back to Auror Training; I can't miss much more."

Katherine woke up feeling groggy and sore. She tried to sit up, but stopped because it hurt so much.

"Katherine?" A voice above and to Katherine's right asked.

Wearily and very reluctantly, Katherine opened her eyes to see Hermione looking at her with concern.

"Hi." Katherine smiled weakly.

Hermione returned the smile as Katherine turned her head to the left and saw Mrs. Malfoy sleeping, rather undignified, on a couch near the wall and window. Katherine cracked a smile at the sight of her mother sprawled on the couch.

"She hasn't left since you got here," Hermione said from behind Katherine. "And I think this is the first time she's slept."

_Two nights without sleep. _Katherine thought guiltily.

"Hermione, help me sit up." Katherine asked hoarsely as she turned her head.

"The Healers said you shouldn't move." Hermione said, but sounding as if she was debating with herself.

"Screw the Healers." Katherine spat. "I want to sit up, so I'm going to damn well sit up."

Hermione must have gotten over her debate because she helped Katherine sit up. Katherine groaned in pain; everything was sore. But she forced herself to sit up. Once she did, she closed her eyes and rested her head against the bed frame. After a moment, she opened her eyes and caught sight of Hermione's worried face. Suddenly, the memory of what happened two nights ago came back to Katherine.

"Are you alright?" Katherine asked as she quickly began to scan Hermione's face for injuries.

"I'm fine." Hermione said.

Katherine didn't believe her. She knew the curse she almost used on Hermione. The Cruciatus Curse hurt Hermione beyond belief and Katherine, who promised never to hurt her, almost used it.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry." Katherine said apologetically.

"Katherine," Hermione said her name deliberately slow. "I'm fine."

Katherine kept looking at her, knowing that it wasn't true. Something was bothering her.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked, opening her eyes to symbolize her openness. And feeling completely lame while doing it.

Hermione's lips twitched at Katherine's expression, which made Katherine's face break out into a smile. Then Katherine peered at Hermione, trying to fight off her smile to make Hermione tell her.

Hermione sighed. "I want to know what happened, Katherine."

Katherine sighed heavily as her head hung. Katherine ran a hand through her hair before placing both in her lap.

"It's a long story." Katherine whispered, pain twisting her mouth.

Hermione Summoned a chair and sat down.

"I have time." Hermione said simply. Katherine looked up and smiled before running a hand through her hair as she tried to figure out how to start.

"My shoulder didn't start bothering me until school started," Katherine began. "I didn't think much of it -it annoyed the hell out of me, though- until I started hearing Bellatrix. At first, I thought it was someone imitating Bellatrix to scare me, but it became clear that it wasn't an imitation. I thought I was hallucinating, but the increased pain of my shoulder convinced me otherwise at some moments.

"Then I tried to drown myself or get hypothermia -I forget- in the Black Lake because of her," Hermione gasped, but Katherine ignored her. "We were leaving for Christmas break the next day and I decided that I needed to find out what was wrong and fix it. My plan was to leave without telling anyone, fix the problem, come home, and make sure no one ever found out what happened. So, I went to Azkaban."

_It took some convincing and some Galleons to make the boat master take her to Azkaban. Ironically, it was the nicest she had ever seen the North Sea, but it was too hard for that lazy ass to paddle across the sea._

_ Once they arrived at the prison, he left. Katherine thought about cursing the boat, but decided he wasn't worth it. She instead turned around and went through the gate. She noticed how much warmer Azkaban was, and then she remembered that they removed the Dementors, so it would be warmer._

_ One of the guards checked her wand, and then waved her through. The Head Guard came out of the headquarters and saluted her._

_ "General Potter," He said. She inwardly cringed and hoped that no one would ever call her that again."What are you doing here?"_

_ "I have a question and the maximum security prisoners, hopefully, can answer it." Katherine responded._

_ The Head Guard nodded and volunteered to take her to those prisoners. As they walked, Katherine vaguely noticed that it wasn't raining; a first for Azkaban. Once they reached the topmost and most inner layer of the prison, the Head Guard told her to call him if there were any problems, and then he saluted her and left._

_ Katherine really hoped that people would stop treating her like a General. She didn't want to be praised for sending people to their deaths._

_ Katherine shook off the guilt and was slightly surprised that Bellatrix hadn't shown up yet; she liked appearing when Katherine was feeling especially guilty. Yet, Katherine ignored her thoughts and walked into the middle of the level._

_ "I have a question and I know one of you can answer it." Katherine said, knowing that all the prisoners were able to hear her._

_ They all remained silent; some even retreated into the darkness of their cells to escape her._

_ Katherine threw out her arms and spun around slowly in a circle._

_ "No one?" Katherine asked, wishing she could offer some sort of deal, but even General Potter didn't have that unsupervised power._

_ "I'll help." A voice volunteered from a cell behind and to the right of the door and Katherine. _

_ She smiled that she didn't have to resort to empty promises and made her way over to the cell. She inwardly jumped in surprise when she saw an unshaven Rabastan Lestrange staring at her with extra hollow eyes._

_ "Ah, Miss Potter, how are you?" His eyes twinkling cordially. She looked suspiciously at him because she was the reason that he was sent to Azkaban again, so he shouldn't be nice to her. He was looking at her, waiting for her to say something._

_ "I'm well, Mr. Lestrange," She swallowed. "And you?"_

_ "I've been warmer, but I was not expecting the temperature to change in two years." Rabastan said, still smiling politely. She didn't know what to say; she was still waiting for the catch to his niceness. He coughed politely to get her attention. "You had a question to ask?"_

_ Katherine shook herself, telling herself that if he was falling back on his habits, she would, too._

_ "Yes, Mr. Lestrange, is your sister-in-law alive?" Katherine asked, getting to the point, but matching Rabastan's smile._

_ His eyebrow lifted in question. "Not that I'm aware. Why do you think so?"_

_ Katherine shifted nervously. "I've seen her."_

_ Rabastan coughed to hide his escaped laughter."I highly doubt that since -Mrs. Weasley, is it?- killed her and we both buried her."_

_ "I know that." Katherine said, nearly growling in frustration. This trip was turning out to be a waste of time and Katherine still had no idea what was going on with her shoulder and Bellatrix._

_ Rabastan cocked his head at her and stroked his very hairy goatee in thought._

_ Katherine looked away because his eyes were starting to creep her out. Her shoulder started to sting, so Katherine twisted to make it stop._

_ "Wait!" Rabastan exclaimed and Katherine jerked her head up, raising her eyebrow in question. Rabastan had his mouth slightly open and his eyes were trained on her shoulder."Let me see."_

_ Katherine kept her eyes trained on Rabastan as she slowly pulled her collar down to reveal her shoulder. She watched Rabastan's eyes widen and glint happily as he took in the site of the spider web of black lines on her shoulder._

_ "Oh, Bella, you wonderful girl you." He breathed as a crazy smile played on his face. "When did you get it?"_

_ "During the Final Battle." Katherine answered._

_ "And you're not dead yet?" Rabastan said completely surprised. "You must be stronger than I thought."_

_ Katherine stared at him. "What are you talking about?"_

_ "You're going to die, Miss Potter." Rabastan said simply, his eyes gleaming happily._

_ Katherine arched her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"_

_ Rabastan ignored her question and kept staring at the black lines with a giddy expression on his face. "Oh, you wonderful girl, Bella."_

_ Katherine was waiting for him to explain, but he just seemed content to laugh and look happily at her shoulder._

_ "What are you talking about?" Katherine asked once she got too impatient with him._

_ "Don't you know?" Rabastan asked, his sunken eyes locking on to her green ones. She stared at him and he laughed again. "Come on, a first year would know."_

_ "Sorry, I didn't go to Durmstrang." Katherine snapped._

_ Rabastan rolled his eyes. "One at Beauxbatons would."_

_ "My French isn't that great." Katherine snapped again._

_ "Well, obviously, it's a hybrid curse that's meant to kill you." Rabastan said as Katherine fixed her shirt._

_ "Kill me how?" Katherine said, trying to think how some shoulder wound could kill her._

_ "Isn't it obvious, Miss Potter?" Rabastan asked with a slight smirk._

_ "Just tell me." Katherine snapped, nearly losing her patience._

_ Rabastan's smirk grew. "Bellatrix was never able to kill you, and that annoyed her beyond belief. So if she couldn't kill you, she could make you do it."_

_ "The curse is supposed to make me commit suicide?" Katherine asked. "How?"_

_ "By making you do something so devastatingly awful that you can't take life anymore." Rabastan smirked._

_ "That would never happen." Katherine said._

_ Rabastan started laughing and shouting how wonderful Bellatrix is. Katherine's eyes flashed in anger._

_ "TELL ME WHAT THE CURSE IS!" She yelled because she needed to fix the problem and quickly._

_ Rabastan smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly don't know."_

_ "WHAT?" Katherine screamed._

_ "It's a hybrid curse that Bellatrix created. She may have been my sister-in-law, but do you really think she went around telling me all her spells?" Rabastan mocked._

_ Katherine took a breath. "Then what is it a mix of?"_

_ But something cracked in his face and he burst out laughing. Katherine stared at him as he laughed even harder and retreated to the back of his cell, still laughing. Katherine then saw that she wasn't going to get anything else out him._

_ She walked away, thinking about what he told her. She didn't believe him that the curse was going to make her kill herself. It couldn't do that._

"So what happened next?" Hermione asked after Katherine took a long pause after telling her story. Katherine took a shaky breath and shifted her position on the hospital bed. Worry flashed across Hermione's eyes, which Katherine saw and made her get annoyed.

"I'm fine, Hermione, just a bit sore." Katherine said firmly.

Hermione nodded, but didn't seem to be convinced, which annoyed Katherine even more.

"Please stop looking at me like I'm breakable." Katherine whispered.

Hermione ducked her head in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's just different. Usually I'm the one lying in the hospital bed and you're looking like you want to beat something."

"Do you want to beat something?" Katherine asked, cocking her head to the side in question, a smile playing at her lips.

"You, if you don't finish telling me where you went during the Christmas break." Hermione threatened. Katherine took one look at her face and threw her head back in laughter. Hermione kept scolding, which made Katherine keep laughing. Katherine slowly stopped laughing and sat up even more on the bed.

"I guess I should continue." Katherine said smiling at Hermione's _no duh_ expression. "I soon left Azkaban and went to the Leaky Cauldron to eat as I planned my next move. See, I had to find out what the curses were and how to fix them as quickly as possible.

"I immediately ruled out Hogwarts because, even if I hid in the Chamber of Secrets, you would find me. If I stayed in London, you would find me, no matter where I hid. Going to Paris was out of the question too because Narcissa would find me. And if not her, then Fleur."

"Why didn't you want us to find you?" Hermione interrupted.

Katherine sighed and smiled embarrassedly. "I didn't want anyone to worry."

"So your plan was to fix the problem and never speak about it again?" Hermione asked, looking annoyed.

Katherine gave Hermione a withering look. "Yes, Hermione, you know that's how I work."

"I don't see why." Hermione said.

"It doesn't matter." Katherine whispered, before changing the subject. "So, I thought about going to Australia, but you, specifically, would find me there. I was at a lost for sometime because I needed to be somewhere where I could research the curses and not be found.

"It took several pints of ale for the answer to come to me. Russia. During the Soviet Union regime, many wizards started working for the Muggle government because they were more willing to listen than the Tsars were. So, collections of Dark Arts books were created in Leningrad, or St. Petersburg, and in Moscow. After the Soviet Union collapsed, the Wizarding government took control of the libraries. So, I knew that I could hide in Russia and have access to those libraries.

"So, I went. I walked into the Ministry in St. Petersburg -the Wizarding Community refuses to believe that St. Petersburg is still not the capital of Russia- and introduced myself to the Minister. I told him that I needed complete access to the collection and that no one could know I was there. He agreed to my terms on the condition that I stay in the hotel that he picked.

"And, Hermione, you should have seen this place." Katherine sighed, closing her eyes as a wistful look appeared on her face. "It was on the border of Wizarding St. Petersburg and Muggle St. Petersburg, but because the wizards of Russia still like to believe the Tsars are in charge, the hotel was like being in a Tolstoy novel.

"It was Victorian mixed with Russian. I slept in a huge four poster bed and every morning, a maid would wake me up, bringing me breakfast in bed," Katherine opened her eyes and smiled wistfully again. "She would always scold me for coming in the winter because if it was summer, I could eat my breakfast out on the terrace.

"It was so beautiful, Hermione. You know I love that time period and I was actually living in it. It was also great because I wasn't Katherine Potter, General of the Light Army, Twin Sister of the Boy Who Saved. I was Katherine. Just Katherine." Katherine smiled wistfully again. "I loved it there.

"I spent all day in the library, but I did not find the curses. But I stopped caring about failing as the days went on. I started spending less and less time in the library and more of it walking around St. Petersburg. I visited both sides of St. Petersburg and didn't want to leave.

"It was getting closer to the end of break and I found nothing about the curses, which led me to believe that the books were in Lestrange Manor or Malfoy Manor. But I didn't want to leave. I was so happy there. I didn't care that I was freezing every time I went outdoors because it was so great. Plus I didn't see or hear Bellatrix the entire time I was there. And I was Katherine there." Katherine smiled happily at that.

Hermione looked at her, waiting for her to continue, but Katherine didn't. Instead Katherine was smiling down at her hands wistfully.

"Why'd you come back?" Hermione whispered, forcing Katherine out of her memories.

Katherine frowned. "It was the night before we had to go back to Hogwarts, I was sitting in my hotel room, planning what I was going to do the next day. See, I wasn't going to go back. I didn't want to go back to England where everyone was idealizing me and I was drinking like a fish to get rid of the guilt -I didn't feel the need to drink as much in Russia. Also, Bellatrix was in England because she didn't show up in Russia.

"But then she did. She came into my room and started taunting me for running away. I told her she was nothing but a hallucination, but then she grabbed me and she felt so real. I was confused and she pounced on that. She mocked me saying that she was going to kill you and I couldn't stop it.

"And she was right. You were safe when you were at the Burrow because there were multitudes of Weasleys and Harry there to keep an eye out. But, at Hogwarts, you'd be alone, except for Ginny, but she's not around enough. So, I decided to go back. I hadn't figured out the curses, but I had to keep you safe.

"I was starting to believe that Bellatrix was alive and it only got worse from there." Katherine sighed and kept looking down at her hands. She was angry that she fell for such an obvious ploy.

"I still don't understand," Hermione whispered. "How was Bellatrix going to make you commit suicide?"

Katherine looked at her. "I thought after what happened two nights ago that would be obvious."

"It's not." Hermione said.

Katherine sighed and looked back down at her hands. "She almost made me do something that would send me over the edge, that would make me do anything to get rid of the guilt."

"And what was that?" Hermione asked, almost dreading the answer.

Katherine looked up and her green eyes were filled with pain. "Hurting you. She made me almost use the Cruciatus Curse on you."

"And you would have killed yourself over that?" Hermione asked, hoping Katherine was being ridiculous.

Katherine heaved a heavy sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Hermione. That curse could have sent you over the edge. I could have turned you into Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. I couldn't live with that guilt."

Katherine looked at Hermione and saw that she had no idea what to say. Katherine smiled in an attempt to make Hermione feel better. Then Katherine threw off her covers and made to get up from the bed, but Hermione grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Let me go, Hermione. I'm tired of lying around." Katherine said and Hermione did. Katherine swung her legs up and stood up only to get dizzy. She closed her eyes and waited for it to pass. She was kind of surprised that Hermione didn't get up from her seat.

Katherine walked over to where Narcissa was sleeping on the couch. Katherine reached and brushed back a few errant strands of hair. Katherine looked down at the sleeping woman and felt guilt overcome her.

"I'm so awful, Hermione." Katherine whispered pained. Hermione didn't respond, but Katherine didn't feel like turning around; she knew Hermione was listening.

Katherine sighed and her face pinched in pain. "I am so lucky. I have been given two loving families, but I can't love them fully. It's so stupid! I can't love them because I love the Potters, and I feel like I'm betraying my parents by loving another set of parents. But I don't know them! I don't know what they're like! I don't know if I'd even like them! Yet, I love them more than anything else and that makes me treat other families like shit!

"Merlin, Hermione," Katherine said, her face twisting in pain. "The Peters put off their lives for me. The Malfoys faced ridicule and isolation from the Pureblood community by adopting me. Narcissa kicked out her sister to get me to come back.

"But I can't return that love. I've tried calling Narcissa mother, but I feel like I'm betraying my mother. A mother I can't remember!

"Two families have done so much for me and smothered me with love and I can't return it. You know what makes this feeling worse?" Katherine asked, not even bothering to look at Hermione as she moved over to the window. "The fact that I have to deal with this guilt on top of the rest of my guilt.

"Sheesh, Hermione, I'm in so much pain and no one listens to me." Katherine pressed her face against the glass as the tears started to fall. "I'm sick of being everyone's tissue. . . . I need someone to listen to me, but no one does. . . . I-I-I-I can't do . . . do this anymore. . . . I-I-I need someone to help me.

"Hermione, don't you see?'" Katherine turned around only to see Hermione had fallen asleep. Red flashed across Katherine's eyes as she realized that her friend had been asleep for some time and didn't hear her at all.

Then Katherine scoffed cynically. "Typical. I'm everyone's tissue, but no one can be mine."

Rage started to build in Katherine. She needed help and she was reaching out, but no one was listening.

_This is why I hate England. Why the hell did I come back? No one gives a shit about me._ Katherine thought angrily.

Then she decided to leave. She quickly ran over to the table by the hospital bed and picked up her wand. She waved it and Transfigured her hospital gown into a shirt and pants. She vaguely noticed that lines were gone as she stormed out of the room.

She checked herself out and walked out into London only to hear someone shout her name. She muttered an oath under her breath before turning around to face the person with a smile on her face. Draco walked quickly over to her, scanning her worriedly.

"Aren't you supposed to be in there?" He asked, pointing in the direction of St. Mungo's.

Katherine smiled. "The Healers said I was fine, so I'm going to go see Harry, and then I'll meet you at the Manor."

Draco looked at her disbelievingly. "The Healers said it would take time for you to get better."

"I'm Katherine Potter; I defy expectations." Katherine smiled cockily. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"I'll come with you." Draco said.

"Oh, no, you better not." Katherine said quickly. "Your mother is sleeping on the couch in my room and I didn't want to wake her. You should go and make sure she gets home alright."

Draco nodded, but still regarded Katherine suspiciously.

Katherine smiled at him, and then Apparated away.

She didn't go to Harry, instead she went to the cave where the Mirror of Erised was. She walked in and saw Cedric in the Mirror, leaning on the frame. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." Katherine said, her heart hurting at that smile. Merlin, she missed him.

"You should be in the hospital." Cedric commented.

Katherine growled. "Not you, too. I'm completely fine."

"I know." Cedric smiled.

They stared at each other, and then Katherine stepped closer to the Mirror. She and Cedric looked eyes, and she marveled at his ability to make his grey eyes soft and open. She placed a hand on the glass and he did the same.

"I'm not coming back, Cedric." Katherine whispered.

His eyes didn't change. "I know."

"How do you know?" Katherine asked, no one else knew.

"Because I know you. And you need a break." Cedric whispered. "Darling, you've spent the past four years being everyone else's Katherine; it's time for you to be your own."

Katherine let out a sob. "I miss you so much."

"I know, darling, but I've never left you." Cedric whispered soothingly. Katherine placed her forehead against the glass and saw Cedric do the same before she closed her eyes.

"I don't get to see or hear you, though," Katherine whispered, swallowing a sob. "And now that I'm leaving, I can't even use the Mirror to do that."

"I'm always with you. You know that." Cedric said.

"Don't leave me." Katherine cried desperately.

"Ekaterina, I will stay with you until the very end."


	78. Chapter 78

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 78<em>

Katherine had only been in the hotel and St. Petersburg for ten minutes, when she heard a knock on the door. Without thinking, she opened the door to see a fuming Hermione, who pushed past Katherine and into the room.

"What is wrong with you?" Hermione nearly yelled. Katherine's eyes flashed, but she held her tongue. "You can't just leave!"

"I can do whatever I like." Katherine replied coolly.

"No, you can't! You have to come back!" Hermione did yell.

Katherine's eyes flashed and she stepped closer to Hermione.

"I suggest you stop yelling and get back to England." Katherine snarled.

"Not without you." Hermione said firmly, staring back at Katherine.

"I'm not going back." Katherine whispered final.

"Why not?" Hermione challenged.

"Because I'm done with being England's tissue!" Katherine yelled, losing her patience. "I am done with being praised for leading people to their deaths! I almost turned into an alcoholic in England! I'm not one here!" _Ironically, enough_.

"But I need you." Hermione pleaded.

"I don't care!" Katherine roared. "I need help and I tried opening up to you, but you fell asleep! YOU FELL ASLEEP! EVERY TIME YOU NEED ME! I'VE BEEN THERE! WHEN YOU'RE CRYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! I'VE BEEN THERE!" Katherine took a deep breath. "Is it too much to ask that you be there for me?"

"Katherine," Hermione said, shaking her head in shock. "I didn't know."

"Because you never bothered to find out." Katherine said coldly.

"I'm here now." Hermione whispered, desperate for Katherine to come back.

Katherine shook her head. "It doesn't matter now. I'm done with England and I'm not coming back."

"But what about graduation?" Hermione asked.

"WHY THE HELL DO I NEED GRADUATION?" Katherine roared, and then said icily, "Aren't you just going to sleep through it?"

Hermione cringed. "I'm sorry, Katherine, but I hadn't slept well in days-"

"Big whoop." Katherine snapped. "I haven't slept well in two years. I have to get myself pissing drunk to get some form of sleep because, if I don't, the nightmares will come. I have been letting myself disintegrate and not done a thing about it because I've been taking care of others. Well, you know what? I'm done. I'm done with holding others together. I'm done with carrying the world's sorrows on my shoulder. For once, I'm going to be my own Katherine."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked, completely confused.

Katherine stared at her in disgust. She thought that Hermione would, at least, be able to notice the guilt that was killing her, but no.

_Why do I give shits about people who don't give a shit about me?_ Katherine asked herself as her thoughts twisted more and more.

"Get out." Katherine whispered firmly.

Hermione stared at her in shock. "What?"

"Get out!" Katherine snarled, grabbing Hermione's arm, and dragging her to the door. Katherine threw open the door and tossed Hermione into the hall. She then shut and locked the door before Hermione turned around and started pounding on it.

"Katherine! Katherine! Let me in!" Hermione shouted through the door.

Katherine ignored her and walked into the living room -the hotel was like a level of Malfoy Manor- and jumped onto the couch to read a book.

* * *

><p>An hour later, another knock on her door made her get up, walk through the living room, and into the entrance hall. She opened the door to see Harry standing there; he pushed through before she could shut the door.<p>

"I'm guessing she sent you to convince me." Katherine stated tiredly.

"You need to come home, Katherine." Harry said, clasping his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm not going back." Katherine said firmly.

"I know that it's hard back home, but we've got each other." Harry said.

Katherine sarcastically raised her eyebrow. "Oh really, Harry? How is it hard for you?"

"People won't leave me alone; I have no privacy." Harry said, looking annoyed at the thought.

Katherine started laughing. "And that's the worse thing that's happened to you?"

"No, I-" Harry paused as he tried to think of something else. Katherine gave him a moment before pouncing.

"You have no idea what it's been like for me," Katherine whispered, her eyes cold and harsh. "I am glorified for leading people to their deaths."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, Katherine-"

"Don't you dare 'Oh, Katherine' me, Harry Potter!" Katherine snapped. "I gave Fred the order that sent him into the Death Eaters' arms. I gave the order that Remus and Tonks stay in the front courtyard, where they were killed by Bellatrix and Dolohov! Every person that died during the Battle died because of my orders!

"You are glorified for saving Britain from a tyrant's reign, and therefore, you have nothing to feel guilty for. But I . . . I am glorified for giving orders that killed people, who continuously haunt me! And you want me to go back to England! To go back to the terrors!"

Harry stared at her. And she glared back.

"You can't abandon us, Katherine." Harry's voice cracked.

Katherine laughed a cold, harsh laugh. "I already abandoned you once and you destroyed all of Voldemort's Horcruxes without me."

"You didn't abandon us; you kept trying to find us." Harry protested.

"And it took me months to do it." Katherine countered.

"But you didn't abandon us." Harry repeated stubbornly.

"So?" Katherine snapped. "You all did perfectly fine without me!"

"No!" Harry yelled. "We needed you! We needed you to keep us calm!"

Katherine looked at him, and then said in a deadly whisper. "Do you really think I would have stopped Ron from leaving?"

"No," Harry whispered, looking down. "But you could have comforted Hermione until he came back."

"Is that why you want me back, Harry? So, I can handle all the crying girls for you?" Katherine sneered.

Harry looked taken aback and he sputtered for a reply.

"Get out." Katherine said.

"No." Harry snapped. "Katherine, I can help you. You don't think I know what it's like to have people die because of you? Sirius died because of me!"

"Oh, please," Katherine scoffed. "Sirius didn't die because of you. There were seven of us, including you. Any of us could have said, 'No, Harry, Umbridge is gone, let's use her Floo and see if Sirius isn't at Grimmauld Place,' but we didn't."

"WELL AT LEAST I DIDN'T FALL APART JUST BECAUSE SOME PRETTY BOY DIED!" Harry screamed.

The next thing he knew Katherine's wand was in his face. Her face was murderous and her eyes were fiery green.

"What did you say?" Katherine asked in a deadly whisper. Harry looked at her and suddenly realized why some Death Eaters were scared of her.

Harry sputtered for an answer, but Katherine took a menacing step forward, never lowering her wand.

"What did you say?" She repeated in the same whisper.

"Katherine, th-th-that came out wrong-"

Katherine didn't let him finish. "Get out."

Harry sputtered and Katherine pressed her wand into his face. He started backing up because he knew that she would have no qualms about hexing him.

"Katherine, I-"

"Get out!" Katherine yelled and Harry ran for the door. He opened it and Katherine slammed into him, knocking him out into the hallway. He turned around to see the door slamming shut.

Katherine stood on the other side of the door, both hands closed into fists and shaking as she tried to calm herself down.

"Damn him."

* * *

><p>It was several days later and the night before graduation. Katherine was lying on her back on the hotel couch, reading a book. Hermione had visited a couple of times over the past few days, but Katherine ignored the knocking on her door. Harry didn't try again, but he did send Mrs. Weasley, who pounded on the door for several hours. She was rather persistence. But Katherine ignored her.<p>

Anyways, Katherine was reading, when she heard a rapping at the terrace glass door. She put her book to the side to see an owl tapping impatiently against the glass. With an annoyed sigh, Katherine got up and opened the door. She ducked as the owl flew over her head and landed on the couch she just vacated.

Katherine pulled the letter off the owl's leg and it flew off. There was no name on it, but she recognized Narcissa's practiced calligraphy. All it said was _Please_.

* * *

><p>Katherine tried to sneak to her seat without anyone noticing, but of course, someone saw her and shouted, "It's Katherine Potter!"<p>

Everyone's heads whipped around and Katherine forced a smile.

"Miss Potter," McGonagall said from the stage. "Your seat is up here."

Katherine inwardly grumbled as she maneuvered through the rows of seats of parents and students, and stomped onto the stage. She had forgotten that the Head Girl had to sit up on the stage with the Professors, Head Boy, and the valedictorian.

As luck would have it, the only vacant seat was in between Draco and Hermione. Katherine sat down and smiled at the two.

Draco leaned over and whispered smirking in Katherine's ear. "I thought you were never ever going to come to graduation."

Katherine turned to him with an annoyed face. "Your mother convinced me."

Draco's eyes flickered over to Narcissa, who was trying very hard to stop smirking. Katherine would have flashed Narcissa an annoyed look, but there were cameras and press around. So, instead, Katherine leaned into Draco and fixed a content smile on her face.

"I'm going to murder you if you don't stop laughing." Katherine whispered through her smile. Draco leaned down and placed his lips against her hair. She could feel him smirking.

"I don't doubt it, _Katie_." Draco said, putting particular emphasis on her nickname because he knew it would annoy her.

Katherine's smile faltered, but she held it steady. She saw Hermione look at her out of the corner of her eye, but she was determined to ignore her.

_Cameras_. A small voice whispered in her head. Katherine sighed inwardly as she turned to Hermione.

"How are you?" Katherine asked politely, keeping the smile on her face.

Hermione leaned over and whispered. "Katherine, I'm so sorry."

Katherine's eye twitched, but she refused to lose her smile in front of the cameras.

Katherine just nodded and was thankful that McGonagall decided to start the ceremony because she didn't trust herself not to say something awful. Katherine sat up and tried to look proud for everyone graduating, but all she wanted to do was run back to Russia.

She listened politely as Hermione gave her speech and she also ignored Harry's and Ron's attempts to get her attention. She waited patiently for her name to be called to get her diploma. And then she pretended to be extremely happy as everyone stood up and cheered.

While everyone was cheering and mingling with family members, Katherine tried to make her escape. But of course it wasn't that easy. Draco grabbed her arm and steered her behind the stage, where they weren't seen by anyone. He turned and faced her, his hands on both of her arms.

"Don't leave just yet." He whispered.

"Draco-" Katherine sighed, but he held up a hand to stop her.

"I know you're going to leave, but please not yet. Ride on the train home with me?" Draco asked, referring to the tradition that the seventh years, despite their parents being at graduation, rode the Hogwarts Express one last time afterwards.

Katherine wanted to decline, she wanted to get as far away from these people as possible, but the look on Draco's face made her change her mind. She nodded and his face broke out into a huge smile. He reached down and grabbed one of her hands and they walked out from behind the stage.

They hung on the edge of the crowds, waiting until it was time to leave, but Narcissa made her way over to them. She didn't say anything, instead, she smiled at Katherine and cupped her cheek.

"Thank you for coming." Narcissa whispered. Katherine ducked her head in embarrassment and felt Draco squeeze her hand in what she supposed was comfort.

She saw cameras flash and she jerked her head up. She saw the press talking excitedly and pointing at her and Draco.

_This is why I left England_. Katherine thought angrily as the press started to take more pictures of her. _I'll give them something to talk about._

Katherine pulled on Draco's arm, pulling him down, and she kissed him long and hard. When she pulled back, his face was surprised, but his eyes reminded her of how Cedric looked at her after they kissed.

_Merlin_. Katherine thought as she felt an emotion she hadn't felt in years.

"Children." Narcissa admonished, but sounded as if she was holding back laughter.

Draco's hands crawled down her arms until he held both of hands in his. He stepped closer to her, resting his forehead against hers.

"Let's go to the train." Draco whispered.

"Quickly." Katherine breathed, closing her eyes as she felt Draco smirk against her forehead.

"Bye, mother." Katherine heard Draco say.

"Yes, bye." Katherine mimicked as she and Draco started to walk quickly away. She saw Narcissa openly smirk as they broke out into a run. They ran all the way to Hogsmeade Station, holding hands.

The rest of Hogwarts, besides the seventh years, were getting on the train, so the two maneuvered their way through the crowd and into the train. They choose the nearest compartment, shut the door quickly, Draco flicked his wand and the door locked and the blinds came down. Then he pushed Katherine into the door as they started kissing.

Then Katherine pushed him to the seat and knocked him down, the entire time they didn't stop kissing once. She climbed on top of him and his hands went down to her hips, tickling the sides. They broke apart as Katherine tossed off her shirt. Then Draco stopped her.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked.

Katherine leaned down and kissed him lightly. "Completely."

* * *

><p>Later, Katherine and Draco were lying on the seat, wrapped in each other's arms. Katherine had her head tucked under his chin as his fingers were tracing random patterns on her lower back.<p>

"We should do that again." Draco whispered.

"No complaints here." Katherine smiled as Draco kissed the top of her head.

"So, are you going to stay?" Draco asked. Katherine sighed and tried to push away from him, but he just moved to where he was on top of her. He looked at her expectedly and she sighed.

"One fuck isn't going to make me stay; no matter who it was with." Katherine said.

"But you can't leave me." Draco whispered, his grey eyes pleading with her.

"Then come with me." Katherine said simply as she locked her hands behind his neck.

"What?" Draco said. "I can't just leave. I have to start a career and take care of my family and-"

He was interrupted by Katherine pulling him down and kissing him. Then she pulled back slightly.

"Then stay with me over the summer. You can come back in September." Katherine said.

"Just us?" Draco asked, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Yes," Katherine breathed, closing her eyes. "Let's go somewhere where we're not Katherine Potter and Draco Malfoy. Let's be Katherine and Draco for once. Let's have fun."

Draco smiled at that thought and he kissed her lightly.

"And you'll come back with me in September?" Draco asked.

Katherine shook her head and Draco pulled back. He stared at her with a hurt expression.

"I don't know when I'm going to come back, Draco, but it won't be in September." Katherine said.

"Why not?' Draco asked. Katherine looked him in the eye.

"Because I need to figure out who I am," Katherine said seriously. "I have spent the past four years being everyone else's Katherine, but I need to be my own Katherine for once."

Draco stared at her for a long moment, his eyes searching hers quizzically.

"I don't understand." Draco said finally.

Katherine turned her head to the side and swore she saw the outline of Cedric standing near the window.

"No, I don't suppose you would." Katherine whispered. Draco looked at her like she was going to get mad at him, but she didn't. She pulled him down and started kissing him again.

He pulled back and whispered in her ear. "Round two."

* * *

><p><strong>This is the last chapter for the eighth year and now the story is starting to wind down.<strong>


	79. Chapter 79

**This is a short chapter, but enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 79<em>

**Four years later.**

She couldn't remember why she was in the maternity ward. She retraced her steps in her mind. She was at her flat in London, Hermione's head was in her fireplace telling her to get over to St. Mungo's immediately, and then blank. She couldn't remember where Hermione told her to go.

_I hope she and Ron aren't expecting because I'm not ready for that_. She thought shuddering. It was bad enough being at their wedding -mostly because Hermione literally dragged her away from her cave to go.

She walked up and down the maternity ward, pretending as if she knew exactly where she was going, but she didn't. She sneakily looked into each room for Hermione, but didn't see her.

Suddenly, she heard a rush of voices from the inside of one room. She looked in to see a young girl, probably only a sixth year, on the hospital bed, her outspread legs covered by the sheets, her head in her hands as she cried. An older, formidable woman stood to the young girl's left.

_Mother possibly?_ She thought, eyeing the older woman.

Two Healers were on the other side of the girl, to the left of the bed. One was holding a bundle as the other Healer was looking at it. Then they handed the bundle to the young girl, who took it with a tear stained face.

"What am I going to do?" The young girl cried. "I'm too young to raise a kid."

"You're not keeping it." The older woman said final. "I will not have any more scandal."

The Healers exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"Mom, what am I going to do?" The young girl cried. Her mother stared at her with pursed lips.

Then the bundle rolled over and a small little baby boy looked through the doorway at her and smiled. She smiled softly as she stepped forward.

"You're going to get rid of it," The mother said coolly before scoffing. "But I don't know who would take a bastard."

"I will." She said, stepping forward. All four women looked at her with surprised expressions, but the mother looked as if she gave her an early Christmas present.

"What?" The young girl asked through tears.

She stepped forward until she was at the edge of the bed. She smiled softly at the girl, and then looked at the little baby, who had turned over to look at her.

"I'll take him." She whispered before looking back at the girl.

All of the women looked at her in shock. But she didn't notice because she was smiling down at the baby boy.

"But you don't want a bastard, do you?" The mother said. Her green eyes flashed, but she controlled herself before she looked at the mother.

"I do," She said. "Because he needs a good home and I can give him that."

The mother's face colored some and she looked away.

"How long will the adoption take?" She asked the two Healers.

"We'll start working on the papers right now." One of the Healers said as the two left the room.

The young girl kept looking at her in shock and with her mouth agape.

"You'll take care of him?" The girl asked.

"Have you heard the song _Whistle Down The Wind_ by Andrew Lloyd Webber?" She asked and the girl shook her head. "Listen to it and you'll have your answer."

* * *

><p>A few hours later, she was walking down the maternity ward hall with the little infant her arms. She was bent over slightly as she cooed at him. He kept giggling at the silly noises she was making.<p>

"Oh, just wait until your Grandma Narcissa sees you," She cooed at him. "And your Uncle Draco. And your Uncle Harry, and Uncle Ron, and Aunt Ginny, and Aunt Hermione. They're all going to be so jealous because you're so cute. Yes, you are. Yes, you are."

He giggled some more and he closed his blue eyes as he did.

"Don't you worry, by the way," She whispered seriously. "Because I won't let anyone call you a bastard again.

"Cedric Potter."


	80. Chapter 80

**The second part will be up as soon as I finish editing it. Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Epilogue- Part 1<em>

**Fourteen years later.**

"Minister Potter! Minister Potter!" A couple of energetic reporters called from the press crowd at the entrance to Platform 9 and 3/4 -on the wizarding side, of course.

"I'll be happy to answer any questions you have after I get my son on the train." Katherine smiled as she placed her hand on her fourteen year old son, Cedric Potter. The press nodded in agreement as Katherine and Cedric turned around.

The two walked across the platform, watching families say good-bye to their children. The Hogwarts Express was sitting there, looking like it did twenty six years ago when Katherine first rode it.

As she walked past, she heard Percy talking to another Ministry official about broomstick regulations.

"Now, now, Perce, you know that trying to outlaw Quidditch is what made you lose the election to me in the first place." Katherine called playfully.

"Katherine, that was eight years ago, can't you let that go?" Percy asked annoyed as his wife, Audrey, looked annoyed at her on his behalf.

"When it stops being funny, I'll let it go." Katherine promised with a winning smile.

Then she turned and saw that Cedric had disappeared. She sighed annoyed because he had to do this every year. He and Katherine would race. If he got onto the train before she caught him, she would increase his allowance by a hundred Galleons per month. If she won, he'd have to write her every day for the first month.

And she had yet to lose.

She ran through the platform, looking frantically for the tall, brown haired boy. She saw the three Malfoys standing near the train and she ran over to them.

"Have you seen Cedric?" She asked quickly.

"He just came by saying, 'Hello, Malfoys. Good-bye, Malfoys.'" Draco said with an amused smile.

"Which way did he go?" Katherine asked.

Draco pointed over his shoulder and Katherine smiled in thanks. She hugged Astoria, and then turned to Scorpius.

"When did you turn eleven?" She asked, ruffling his hair. "You're making me feel old."

She smiled at them, and then continued on her way.

"Oh! And mother says that if you don't show up to dinner, she'll come and literally drag you out of the Ministry." Draco called as Katherine ran off. She turned around to face him, running backwards, with a smile on her face.

"I don't doubt it. I'll be there!" She called before turning around and spotting the brown haired boy a few steps from boarding the car next to her.

She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him back just when his foot was about to touch the first step to get on the train. She dragged him backwards, and then turned him around. He looked at her dejectedly.

"Can't I win once?" Cedric muttered. Katherine smiled and tucked a piece of his hair behind his ear.

"You just need to get faster." Katherine said.

"But I've got longer legs than you!" Cedric protested as he looked down at her with his brown eyes.

"But I'm faster than you." Katherine smirked as she ruffled his hair.

"Mom!" He whined as he twisted, and then frantically tried to fix his hair.

Katherine smirked. "Someone's trying to impress a girl."

She reached to ruffle his hair again, but he squirmed away from her. Her smirk disappeared and she lowered her voice.

"It's more than just some girl, isn't it?" She whispered and he ducked his head in embarrassment. "Hey, do me a favor, will you? If you get the chance, ask her out."

"But what if she says no?" He whined. Katherine grabbed his chin and moved his head to where he looked her in the eye.

"Then she says no, and you can either move on or wait and ask again." Katherine said.

"But if I keep asking, won't I seem desperate?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, but if it's meant to happen, it will happen," She said simply. "Do you know how many times your grandfather asked out your grandmother, and was rejected? A hundred times per day, but here I stand."

Cedric smiled and Katherine let go of his chin. Suddenly, Katherine felt someone crash into her back and a pair of arms wrap around her waist. She turned her head to see a mop of black hair.

"Oh no, I'm being attacked." She said teasingly as the mop let go and stood next to Cedric.

Suddenly, another person crashed into Katherine and wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned to see a red haired person.

"Fred, let go, I already did that." The black-haired boy said and Fred let go of Katherine and stood next to the boy.

"Always copying me, aren't you, James?" Fred teased and James pushed him.

"Now, Cedric, remember you need to keep an eye on your cousins. Especially these two; I don't need any more Hogwarts toilet seat covers." Katherine said smiling.

"Hey! You said you loved them!" James protested.

"I do love them," Katherine said truthfully. "But I don't have any room in my office for more of them. Although, those seats did help me get the Bulgarian Minister to sign a trade treaty."

"Really?" James asked, his brown eyes big. Fred matched his expression.

"Yes," Katherine nodded. "I had been doing everything I could think of to get him to sign the treaty, but nothing was working. So, finally, I decided to just do the meeting in my office and get down to business, instead of going to a restaurant and putting on a show. He came into my office, and then stopped. He was staring at something over my head and I remembered that I hung up the three toilet seats you sent me.

"I have to honest, in that moment, I was thinking of every possible way to kill you two without your parents finding out because we needed that treaty to work. Then he started laughing and I was prepared to Apparate to your houses and murder you.

"But then, he asked me where I got those seats. And I replied that my nephews sent them to me. And he smiled and said that any Minister who proudly displays her family's gifts is a Minister he could work with. And he signed the treaty within an hour. So, you two saved a trade treaty." Katherine smiled.

"What were you trading?" Fred asked as James started to look pompous.

Katherine looked at both of them, lips twitching. "The location of next year's Quidditch World Cup."

Both of their jaws dropped to the ground and even Cedric's mouth was agape. Then the two third years looked at each other and high fived.

"We saved Quidditch!" They screamed.

Cedric's head fell into his hands. "Mom, why did you have to tell them that? Now, they're going to be even more insufferable."

"What is this I hear about saving Quidditch?" A male voice from behind Katherine said.

"Uncle Ron, Fred and I helped Aunt Katherine make next year's World Cup be in England!" James said excitedly. Katherine turned around to see Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Ginny with their children trailing behind them.

"Really, Katherine?" Hermione asked and Katherine nodded. "Well, then, congratulations, boys."

"I'm going to go tell Teddy." James said as he ran off.

Katherine smiled, and then James suddenly came back looking even more excited.

"I just saw Teddy kissing Victorie!" James said excitedly.

"I hope Bill didn't hear that." Katherine muttered to Cedric, who covered his mouth to hide his laughter.

"Leave them alone, James." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"But it's Teddy kissing our Victorie!" James protested.

"Who was kissing whom?" A deadly voice said.

"Too late." Katherine whispered to Cedric, who had to turn his laugh into a cough as Bill and Fleur joined the group.

"Um, no one, Uncle Bill." James muttered. Luckily for James, Victorie just joined the group and she went to go stand next to her parents. A few seconds later, Teddy strutted over, running a hand through his blue hair.

"Since when do you wear lipstick, Teddy?" Katherine asked innocently, fighting back a smirk. Everyone laughed, except Teddy, Victoria, and Bill. Teddy's cheeks turn red as he tried to wipe it off of his lips.

"Lipstick?"Bill repeated threateningly.

"Um, I'm going to get on the train," Victoria said as she hugged her parents quickly. "I love you, bye!"

And she ran onto the train. Katherine and Cedric were fighting off laughter. Teddy muttered something about seeing one of his friends and left with Bill glaring daggers into his back.

The train whistled, telling everyone that it was going to leave in five minutes. James hugged his parents quickly and bounded up the stairs into the train with Fred in tow. Albus turned to his father with a nervous expression on his face.

"Don't worry, Al," Katherine said, flashing a smile. "They no longer let three-headed dogs stay in the school."

The adults and Cedric laughed, but the other children looked confused.

"Just make sure you're in Gryffindor, or we'll disown you." Ron said. That did nothing to remove the nervous look from Albus' face.

"What? Mom?" Rose asked Hermione nervously.

"Ignore him, darling, he's being annoying." Hermione said, but Rose still looked worried.

Then Ron looked down the platform and saw the three Malfoys saying good-bye to Scorpius, who had his hair combed back like Draco used to do when he was eleven.

"So that's little Scorpius, huh? You better beat him in every test, Rose." Ron said.

"Ron!" Hermione protested.

"Ron, Scorpius is actually a really good kid." Katherine said.

"His dad's a prat." Ron protested.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "If we were still judging people by who they were at sixteen, you'd still be _Won-Won_."

Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Cedric started laughing. Ron stared at Cedric with his mouth agape.

"Cedric knows?!" Ron cried out.

"Of course he knows," Katherine said, slinging her arm around her son's shoulder. "I tell my son everything."

It was obviously a jab at Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, who all chose to not tell their children what they did. Katherine argued with them that it was a stupid idea, but they didn't listen to her. Katherine still stood by her statement and was obviously right because Cedric remained down-to-earth and James turned into an arrogant brat after one year at Hogwarts.

The train whistled again.

"You better get on the train." Hermione said as she hugged Rose good-bye. Albus hugged his parents and Rose grabbed his hand and they went on to the train together. Katherine turned to Cedric and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Now, I want you to keep an eye on your cousins-" Katherine said.

"Yes, mom." Cedric said impatiently.

"-Make sure James and Fred don't send me any more toilet seats-"

"Yes, mom."

"-And make sure Albus and Rose get settled-"

"Yes, mom."

"-And don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, mom." Cedric said impatiently because the train was getting ready to leave.

"Cedric, hurry up!" James called from the window. Katherine looked to see all of Cedric's cousins hanging out of the window.

"I'll see you at Christmas, mom." Cedric said quickly.

"Well, you'll actually see me a lot sooner than that." Katherine said, her lips twitching.

"What? Why?" Cedric asked.

"Get on the train, honey. You're going to miss it." Katherine said smirking, pushing her son onto the train.

"No, tell me!" Cedric demanded as Katherine pushed him onto the steps.

"Can't. Top secret. But McGonagall will tell you tonight." Katherine smiled pleasantly as the train started.

"No, Aunt Katherine, tell us!" James yelled from the window.

"Have fun, children." Katherine smiled, waving at them.

"Man, I almost wish I was going back to Hogwarts this year." Bill said.

"Bill," Katherine rolled her eyes. "You said that last time."

"Last time?" Cedric repeated, standing on the stairs as the train started to pick up speed.

"Bye, Cedric!" Katherine called. "Get in the train!"

He did and ran to the window where all the cousins were yelling at Katherine to tell them what she was talking about, but the train was leaving the station and soon they were gone.

"I can't believe you decided to put on the Triwizard Tournament again." Hermione said to Katherine once the train disappeared around the corner.

"It will be perfectly fine. I'm going to be there for every little thing. I'm going to make sure no Polyjuiced Death Eaters show up." Katherine said.

"But are you sure Cedric would have wanted that?" Hermione asked.

Katherine looked away, her eyes pained. "I think Cedric wouldn't want the world to stop just because of him."

Hermione smiled as Harry came over to his sister. He slung his arm around her shoulders.

"So, little sister, how's being Minister?" Harry asked.

"Tiring," Katherine sighed. "I had to tell the new Prime Minister about the Wizarding World. Thank Merlin, I wasn't Minister when Margaret Thatcher was PM; I don't think I would have survived that encounter."

"Well, I hope you're not being bogged down by S.P.E.W." Harry said, looking at Hermione teasingly.

"Hey!" Hermione said, pointing a finger at Harry. "I'm helping House-Elves!"

"Besides," Katherine interrupted the arguing, smiling teasingly at Harry and Ron. "I'm being bogged down by lazy Aurors who can't write legible reports."

"Hey!" Ron protested. "We try!"

"No, you don't." Katherine scoffed.

"We don't, Ron," Harry said laughing. "Besides, I wouldn't mess with the person who became Minister fifteen years after finishing school."

"Ten," Katherine corrected with an arrogant smile. "Slughorn has excellent connections."

Then Harry slung his other arm around Ginny's shoulders. Katherine slung her arm over Hermione's, who slung her arm around Ron's. Like that, they all walked down the platform. Bill and Fleur trailed behind the friends as Teddy joined them.

And, for now, all was well.


	81. Chapter 81

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em>Epilogue- Part 2<em>

_ Katherine Potter was Minister of Magic from 2009 to 2030. The youngest Minister ever at 29. Her most famous contribution is the Equality For All Act of 2011. Her most important achievement is being the General of the Hogwarts Defenders at the Battle of Hogwarts._

Katherine looked at her Chocolate Frog Card. She didn't know why she carried it around, but her grandson gave it to her. She looked up and around the dingy attic she and Hermione were hiding in. They were told to stay up there because they were too old to participate in the war anymore. Katherine smirked at that because it was utterly false, but Cedric and Rose were too worried about their respective parents for her to argue.

_ Especially since we're the last ones left_. Katherine thought as her lips turned down into a frown.

Katherine could not believe that the war was happening; she had spent her entire career trying to prevent another jilted-Purebloods-caused war. But, apparently, she failed.

She wasn't even worried about preventing another war when she left after completing her last year at Hogwarts. She spent that entire summer with Draco in St. Petersburg. But, that September, Draco went back to England and she refused to go with him. Luckily, Kingsley decided to make her the ambassador to Russia because of her perfect score on the Political Science N.E.W.T. She made some money, but supplemented her income by running small gambling games like she did at Hogwarts.

She loved her life. No one was pushing a camera into her face nor hero worshipping her. And she got to see Draco when she visited England to give Kingsley her report and when Draco's business brought him to Russia. They weren't officially together, but they didn't mind. They had sex and food and sex and movie nights and sex, and it worked for them.

Then when she was twenty-two, in December, Hermione showed up at her doorstep, grabbed her shirt collar, and Apparated away. Katherine would have protested being kidnapped, if she wasn't amused by Hermione yelling that Katherine couldn't miss her wedding even if she didn't like the groom that much.

Katherine went back to Russia the second Ron and Hermione left for their honeymoon. But then Katherine did something she hadn't done since she was sixteen, she went home for Christmas. She spent Christmas Eve through New Year's Day with the Malfoys, except, on Christmas Day, which she spent with the Weasleys and Harry.

Then in the middle of January, Hermione showed up at her door and dragged her to Harry's and Ginny's wedding. After the wedding, Katherine was sitting alone at a table at the reception, waiting for Harry and Ginny to go on their honeymoon so she could leave. She was swirling the wine in her glass, when Hermione sat down at the table, in the seat next to her.

"Katherine, I'm sorry." Hermione said. Katherine looked at her, frowning slightly.

"Why are you apologizing?" Katherine asked. "I forgave you a long time ago."

That took Hermione aback and she stared at Katherine for moment. "If you forgave us, why didn't you come back?"

"Because I have a better life in Russia. No one is pushing a camera into my face nor pulling on my clothes for a damn autograph. People there know who I am and they leave me alone. They get that I don't want to be praised for the Battle." Katherine said, getting a wistful look on her face.

"But you have a family here. Two families, in fact." Hermione countered.

Katherine smiled patronizingly. "I have a career in Russia. I'm the Ambassador and I am the reason why we're on excellent terms."

As Katherine was taking a sip of her wine, Hermione asked, "Are you seeing someone?" Katherine started coughing on her wine because, in truth, she was seeing Draco, but they decided that they weren't going to tell anyone just yet.

Katherine wiped her mouth and answered, "No."

Hermione tilted her head in confusion. "Then I don't understand why you want to stay in Russia."

"Now, listen here-" Katherine said with flashing eyes, pointing her finger sternly at Hermione.

"I just don't understand," Hermione quickly interrupted. "Give me one good reason why you should stay in Russia. And don't say anything about the press, that doesn't count. Everyone you know is here. Your family is here. You have no one over there."

Katherine was struck dumb. She couldn't honestly think of a reason to stay in Russia other than avoiding the press. She had a career in Russia, but she didn't make much, so she had to run gambling circles to supplement her income.

"Fine," Katherine finally sighed and Hermione's face brightened. "I'll come back."

So, she did. She could not leave Russia right away, but she came back in May of that same year. She bought a flat in London, and she had to use some of the money Sirius left her, which she had tried to avoid but couldn't. She was still working as ambassador until Kingsley appointed someone new.

But she got sick of England pretty quick. She hated when she was trying to walk to the Ministry, and a press mob attacked her, shoving cameras in her face, blinding her with their damn flashes, and shouting stupid questions at her.

She wanted to leave, but Hermione was so happy, walking around in such a peppy bubble that Katherine didn't want to burst it. Harry was also happy, he spent most his time catching her up on three years worth of gossip.

However, Draco was the happiest to have her back. She spent every night with him. And she was happy.

But then she woke up and had to deal with the crappy behavior of the press. She started pouring Irish cream, instead of coffee creamer, into her coffee in the morning. Then she would have two or more beers at lunch. And then she would have several glasses of wine over dinner with Draco. All to keep the nightmares away; they came back because the press kept reminding her of them.

It was near the end of June and Katherine was so close to leaving again. She was no longer sleeping and she spent all day in a drunken haze.

But then she got Cedric and everything seemed to make sense. For once, she wanted to see the press, she wanted to show off the precious baby in her arms. And then after she turned twenty-three, Kingsley asked her to be his Senior Undersecretary and she started to make a good sum of money.

She was finally happy being back in England.

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><p>The first two years of Cedric's life were the happiest Katherine had ever had since she was with the first Cedric. She and Kingsley were releasing legislation after legislation to make sure that the Purebloods were not punished. Their focus was on restoration and renewal, not punishment.<p>

Her home life was just as great. Since she was living in England, Draco would come over every night to eat and have sex. They weren't together because no one else knew. They didn't know why they weren't together; they might as well be, but they didn't talk about it.

It didn't take long for Katherine to get comfortable with her new life. She ate dinner with Draco and Cedric, put Cedric to bed, took Draco to bed, and woke in the morning to Draco holding Cedric and flicking his wand for the kitchen utensils to make breakfast. Draco was good with Cedric and Cedric really liked him.

And Katherine loved that her boys were getting along.

During the summer of Cedric's second birthday, the Malfoys went on vacation with the Greengrasses. Katherine didn't go because she had to take care of Cedric and was working on a new proposal with Kingsley.

Draco came back that August, talking about some Astoria girl. Katherine didn't really listen because Draco always talked about other girls. Not that Katherine was jealous, but Draco was a playboy and they weren't technically in a relationship.

So, she didn't pay attention to his talks about Astoria Greengrass.

The next month was normal. And Katherine realized that she would love to continue this life. She started imagining herself married to Draco; it was the next logical step. Draco had had feelings for her for a long time and, though she didn't feel as strongly, she was happy with him.

They were a good team, great friends, and had awesome sex. Isn't that what marriage was all about?

That September, Draco showed up at her door looking worried. Katherine pretended not to notice. They sat down for dinner and Katherine waited a moment for Draco to speak, but when he didn't, she prattled about nothing for all of the meal.

They finished dessert and were sipping wine and not looking at each other for several moments. Katherine waited for Draco to start speaking, but she didn't know if he ever would.

Finally, he cleared his throat and Katherine looked at him. "Katherine . . ." He swallowed, looking down. "I'm . . . I'm . . . I'm getting married to Astoria Greengrass."

"I know."

Draco's head snapped up and looked at Katherine in surprise.

"You know?" He asked, and Katherine nodded. "How?"

Katherine shrugged. "It was bound to happen."

Inside, Katherine's stomach was churning and she wanted nothing more than to jump across the table, kiss Draco, and tell him to marry her instead. But she couldn't do that.

"Then you realize that our . . . thing . . . will . . . will have to stop?" Draco asked quietly.

"Yes." Katherine said, slightly frowning. Then a light bulb went off in her head. "You know, Cedric's at Andromeda's."

Draco grinned. "Well, I guess we could do it one more time."

And then Katherine did jump across the table.

Later the evening, Katherine was curled into Draco's right side on her bed. His arms were wrapped around her and his chin was resting on the top of her head. She had her arms wrapped around him and her head on his chest.

She wanted this. She wanted to go to sleep like this every night, but she couldn't do that to Draco. She didn't love him as much as he loved her. She couldn't love him as more than a dear friend because she loved Cedric Diggory. He was her true love and she couldn't love anyone else in that way.

Draco deserved to be loved back, and Astoria could give him that. And she couldn't make Draco live a life where his wife could never love him as much as he loved her. A one-sided marriage would only cause many problems later.

She tensed at that thought and Draco felt it.

"What?" He whispered.

"Nothing," Katherine lied easily. "Just remembered something about work."

Draco nodded and held her tighter.

And Katherine pretended as if she didn't see her imagined future crumble in front of her eyes.

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><p>By the time Cedric was three, he had three new cousins: Rose Weasley, Albus Severus Potter (stupid name if you asked Katherine, Harry didn't), and Scorpius Malfoy. The next year, Katherine told him that he was adopted. He was shocked, but he said that it made sense because he had blond hair and brown eyes, and Katherine had brown hair and green eyes. Two years later, two new cousins were added to the Weasley-Potter clan; Lily Potter and Hugo Weasley.<p>

And then, that May, Kingsley called Katherine into his office and told her that he was retiring. And then, the greatest election in Minister history occurred; Percy Weasley versus Katherine Potter.

Percy had the advantage of having worked at the Ministry longer and Katherine had the advantage of being Katherine Potter, which would have won her the election if the press hadn't made a huge hoopla about her being gone for three years.

The battle raged all summer. Debate after debate after debate didn't put forth a clear winner. They were neck and neck for several months.

But then a week before the election, Percy said during the last debate that Quidditch was too dangerous and violated not only broomstick regulations, but also the Statue of Secrecy, and said that he would be sure to ban it when he came to office.

And everyone who backed him suddenly decided to back Katherine. And she won almost unanimously.

In 2011, she got the Equality For All Act passed into law. The Act made sure that the only way someone advanced was by merit not by blood, but, to not anger the Purebloods, she left the Wizengamot almost alone. Wizengamot seats are passed down through families and Katherine was not about to piss off those Purebloods be taking their seats and giving them to others. Instead, she created new seats that anyone could get, no matter what their blood status or money status was.

It was Katherine's crowning achievement and it began a series of reforms to give equality to everyone to prevent war.

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><p>When Cedric turned ten, Katherine knew that he would be getting his Hogwarts letter soon and he had to be prepared for the kids at school. The kids would know all about her and what she did and if he didn't know, the attention could turn him into an adolescent monster.<p>

After she came home from work, she took Cedric into the living room of their flat and sat him down on the couch, while she sat down on the coffee table.

"Cedric," She started, her tongue heavy, but she knew she had to do this. "You know that I'm famous, not just for being Minister, but for the war."

Cedric nodded, eyeing his mother suspiciously.

"I do not want you going to Hogwarts thinking that what I did -what we all did- was worth being praised over," Katherine took a deep breath. "Cedric, people glorify war in order to not face the pain. But nothing we did was anything but painful."

And so she told him everything. She told him about the prophecy, about how she was sent to live with Muggles, her friendship with Draco. Her first year at Hogwarts, not being able to tell Harry. About her second year, and Cedric Diggory, and Tom Riddle. Her third year and Sirius and Remus. Her fourth year with Cedric and Voldemort, losing Cedric. That horrid summer and that horrid year, and losing Sirius without ever telling him how much he meant to her as her godfather. Her sixth year, and Draco. Her fugitive year, and the people in the village. The Final Battle, the drinking, the lack of sleep. Her eighth year and the curse, both of her escapes to Russia.

The entire time, Cedric remained quiet and stared down at his hands. When she finished, they both sat in silence. Katherine didn't ask for him to speak because she knew that she had overwhelmed him.

Suddenly, he stood up. "I'm going to Teddy's."

Katherine nodded and waved her hand in the fireplace's direction. "Floo powder's on the mantle."

She let him go, knowing that he needed to talk about everything with Teddy. The two had become close because they always felt like outcasts in the huge Weasley-Potter clan. They were treated like they were part of the family, but they were not.

Katherine poured herself a glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. She hoped that she didn't alienate her son, but he needed to know. He deserved to know.

He came back home closer to one in the morning. Katherine was sitting on the couch in the dark, so he didn't see her when he tumbled in.

"Cedric." She whispered and he jumped before putting his hands in his pockets and looking sheepish.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep." He muttered, looking down.

Katherine looked him over. "Do you want to talk?"

He nodded solemnly and walked over to the armchair. He sat down and looked down at his sneakers. Katherine waited patiently for him to start speaking.

"Why d'you name me after him?" Cedric asked, looking up, his face twisted in pain. "How am I supposed to live up to the man that you loved?"

"Cedric," Katherine said, waiting until he looked her in the eye. "I don't expect you to be anyone, but you. Your name is Cedric Potter, not Cedric Diggory. You're not him and I know that. I named you Cedric because if things had gone differently and he and I got married, our first son would have been named Cedric. I'm honoring him through you, but I don't want you to be anything except you."

He seemed to accept her answer because he was silent for another moment.

"Why didn't you get married?" He finally asked, shifting embarrassedly.

"I thought I was going to be married," Katherine answered honestly. "To your Uncle Draco, I mean, but he never proposed and he married your Aunt Astoria. I never got married because I couldn't love anyone besides Cedric Diggory. It wasn't fair to put someone in the situation where he loved me and I couldn't love him back."

Cedric stared at her, but she guessed that he didn't want to really know any more details because he didn't say anything else.

"Why did you fight? In the war, I mean." He asked.

Katherine made a face and took a deep breath. "I want to tell you it was because of some noble reason. I want you to think that I was admirable, but I wasn't.

"Cedric, I didn't want to fight. I really had no interest in revenge like Harry did. I thought the prophecy was bollocks, but Harry didn't, neither did Ron or Hermione.

"When Cedric Diggory was alive, we talked about leaving. We saw that something bad was coming. We saw the Death Eaters at Quidditch World Cup. And we knew. So, we were going to leave."

"Leave?" Cedric interrupted, sounding appalled.

Katherine smiled, slightly amused. "I told you I wanted you to think I was noble. But yes, we were going to leave. It wasn't our fight. I didn't want to kill Voldemort like Harry did -I never understood why Harry was so angry; we didn't know our parents. Cedric and I wanted to be together and if we took part in a war, there was almost no guarantee that either of us, let alone both, would survive.

"But then he was killed," Katherine's face twisted in pain. "And I was so lost -I know that sounds melodramatic, but I was. So, I distracted myself. I started living for others, instead of myself. I fought because I had to keep my friends alive. So I fought for them. I fought for their lives because I could not be lost again."

Cedric stared at her for a long moment. "Who was he?"

"My everything."Katherine smiled sadly, fiddling with his ring on her right ring finger.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Katherine blinked back tears because she didn't want to scare him.

"Why didn't you get mad?" He asked, breaking the silence. "With Dumbledore raising your brother for slaughter? With making you Plan B? Or with Uncle Harry for making Cedric grab the Cup?"

Katherine smiled a very small smile and looked her son in the eye. "Because we all make our own choices in the end."

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><p>Cedric's Hogwarts years went by with only teenage drama to worry him. But, unfortunately, he was the only one of his cousins (James, Albus, Lily, Rose, and Hugo) to not let their classmates' attention to go to his head.<p>

Then, at James' and Fred's graduation, everything started to go wrong. But they just didn't know it yet.

George died on the way from Muggle London to Hogwarts for the graduation. There was a car accident and George was killed. No one knew until after the ceremony.

Two years later, Narcissa and Lucius invited only Draco and Katherine to dinner one night. The younger two didn't think much of the invitation because their parents liked to have at least one dinner a year with the original four. The two's first clue should have been that Narcissa and Lucius were acting nicer than usual and more willing than ever to laugh at their children's jokes.

After dessert, the elder Malfoys looked at each other, and then excused themselves from the table. Narcissa kissed Katherine's and Draco's foreheads and Lucius shook their hands. Once their parents left the room, the two looked at each other and shrugged.

A few minutes later, a House-Elf burst into the dining room, exclaiming incoherent sentences. Katherine didn't bother questioning the creature further, instead she raced out of the room and up the stairs. Draco was hot on her heels.

They burst into their parents' bedroom to find Lucius and Narcissa lying perfectly still on their bed. Both of them raced to check their parents' pulses, and then both stumbled backwards when they didn't find them.

Katherine and Draco stood for how long they didn't know, staring at their parents' bodies.

Finally, Katherine whispered to him, "They died in their bed like good Englishmen." And Draco's lips twitched and he grabbed her hand.

"They knew." He whispered, his eyes flickering with betrayal.

"Wouldn't you be more surprised if they didn't?" Katherine asked and the betrayal left his eyes. He nodded before their arms grabbed each other and they cried together.

Andromeda followed her little sister to the grave a few weeks later.

Three years after that, two years after Rose, Al, and Scorpius graduated, a Dragon Pox epidemic spread through England. Minister Katherine passed legislation after legislation giving Healers the budget and the resources to combat the epidemic.

But it didn't stop the disease from claiming Harry and Ron.

They spent their last week in the same room at St. Mungo's, at Katherine's insistence. The disease was slowly killing them, but they still joked as if they were still only eleven year olds riding the Hogwarts Express for the first time.

Ginny and Hermione tried to joke with their husbands, but they spent most of the time crying on Katherine's shoulders. As for Katherine, she felt lost again. Her entire life had been built around protecting Harry and he was dying and she couldn't stop it.

It was almost as if Cedric knew how she was feeling because he always kept his hand on her shoulder or his arm around her back. He kept her grounded and she was so thankful for it.

Harry and Ron died within seconds of each other. Best friends till the end.

A few months later, Bill and Fleur were killed when an improperly identified curse exploded and collapsed the building they were working in on top of them.

Mr. Weasley was the last to die from the Dragon Pox epidemic, moments after Lily and Hugo graduated from Hogwarts.

Mrs. Weasley died after Katherine's forty-seventh birthday -the only birthday she celebrated alone since telling Harry she was his sister. Mrs. Weasley, Katherine theorized, died from a broken heart, having buried four of her children and her husband.

The next year, a month after Cedric married Amy, a girl he met a couple of years before when he was visited Katherine at the Ministry, Percy was killed. Someone broke into his house and, despite his wife and daughters being home, only killed Percy.

Katherine devoted so much energy to finding his killer, but it was all in vain. The investigation was taking too long and soon, people started losing interest. And then everything was quiet for two years.

Katherine should have known it was too quiet.

Katherine was fifty when it happened. She had just arrived home after a tiring day at work, when the necklace Narcissa had given her so many years ago began to burn. Katherine's eyes widened in fear when she realized what it meant.

She dove into the Floo and tumbled out into Malfoy Manor's receiving room. She heard commotion coming from the dining room, and then silence. Katherine's wand was already in her hand as she crept to the door. She opened the door, went into the hall, and then she cautiously opened the door to the dining room.

Half of the candles were blown out, causing the room to be half-covered in shadows. Katherine threw herself down to the floor when she saw someone walk past the window. She froze and controlled her breathing to make it as soft as possible.

"Well?" A voice barked from outside the window.

"It is done, sir." A voice answered obediently.

"Let's go." The voice commanded, and then Katherine heard two pops of Apparation, and then silence.

Her hand was shaking as her mind was racing. She forced herself to breathe, to be calm, and then she crawled forward. Her hand touched something sticky, but she couldn't see what it was in the lack of light. She moved closer to see Astoria's body, lying on a puddle of blood with blank, open eyes.

Fear twisted and stabbed Katherine's heart. _Draco!_

She jumped to her feet and scanned the room for him. She found him in the only lit part of the room, sitting on the ground, his back leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. Katherine ran over to him, coming to his left side.

"Draco," She whispered, pleading with whoever was listening that he wasn't dead. She scanned his body. Blood was dribbling down from the corner of his mouth, glass was in his white blond hair, and his face was ashen. His right arm was lying across his stomach and his white shirt had a blood stain where his arm was.

He groaned and his eyes fluttered open. Once he saw her, his mouth formed into a smile.

"Always good to see you, sis." He slurred quietly.

"What happened? Where are you hurt?" Katherine said hurriedly.

"We were attacked by people who said we're filthy Blood Traitors." Draco responded, looking at Katherine.

"I need to get you to St. Mungo's." Katherine said, getting ready to pick him up. He shook his head.

"Too late." He said, removing his arm from his stomach and Katherine saw that his abdomen was so cut up that his intestines were falling out through thin strips of skin.

Katherine's eyes filled with fire and her hand tightened around her wand.

"Who did this?" She spat.

"Some new Pureblood Supremacy group." Draco responded calmly. Katherine's head snapped up. "Are you really surprised? They feel like they're back into a corner and, of course, they're going to fight back."

"But all my reforms?"

"Were good, but not good enough." Draco said, reaching his left hand up to brush her cheek. He left a red smear as he did.

"I'll find them. I'll stop them." Katherine said fiercely.

Draco smiled and his gray eyes twinkled. "I know, but don't leave me just yet."

He moved his hand away from her face and pulled off the Malfoy signet ring. He stared at it before holding it out to her.

"Make . . . make sure Scorpius gets this . . ." Draco whispered through a raspy voice. "Tell him . . . tell him I'm . . . I'm sorry I never . . . got to know . . . that . . . Weasley girl of his . . ."

Katherine smiled softly. "Rose."

Draco matched the smile. "Good match?"

"Excellent." Katherine smiled because Scorpius and Rose were a good match for each other.

Draco moved both his hands to cup her face in his hands. He made her look him the eye.

"Katherine . . ." He whispered. "If . . . if . . . I had asked . . . you to . . . to marry me . . . would you have?"

Katherine cupped his face. "Yes."

He leaned forward until their foreheads were touching, both closed their eyes.

"Next time?" She could feel him smile as he said that.

She smiled sadly. "Of course."

He softly kissed her lips, and then she felt him slowly leave her. She opened her eyes when she could no longer feel his breathing on her face. Ever so gently, she laid him back against the wall.

She called the Aurors, and then went back to the Ministry. She wrote her letter of resignation, and then walked away with turning back.

She failed. Her entire career was a failure. The thing she tried to prevent happened. And her failure cost her Draco.

It was time for someone who wouldn't fail.

* * *

><p>She became the History of Magic professor at Hogwarts because she had always wanted to teach, but she waited until none of her relatives were students there. The next year, the War began. The Pureblood Supremacy group attacked the Ministry in the first battle. The Ministry called Katherine to come save them.<p>

When she appeared and led the fight against the group, the Supremacy retreated quickly. But the Ministry was left almost in ruins. Katherine remembered staring in disbelief at the place she had worked for twenty one years being mostly debris.

She went home to an empty flat and it suddenly hit her how alone she was. She couldn't go to Malfoy Manor because her Malfoys were dead. She couldn't go to her brother nor Andromeda nor Fleur. And her son was off on some business trip.

So she went to James, her favorite of all the Potter-Weasley offspring. He lived in a nearby flat that he bought with his Quidditch pay. He poured her a drink and neither of them spoke.

"I'm sorry." Katherine said mournfully. James looked at her. "I'm not Dumbledore; I don't send children to fight my war for me. But I have to."

"We're not children." James said. Katherine scoffed.

"You might as well be. You aren't ready to fight a war." Katherine said.

"What do they want?" James asked, resisting the urge to protest.

"What they always want," Katherine replied before gulping down her fourth shot. "Control of their own shit."

* * *

><p>The next year, when Katherine was fifty three, Neville and Luna were killed during a giant battle that decimated Katherine's army so much that she ordered everyone into hiding. She hid with Cedric and his family, Rose and Scorpius, Hermione, and Ginny for three years.<p>

Then they were found at their safe house. Katherine made everyone else go before her, but Hermione and Ginny refused to leave her. Suddenly, someone broke into the room they were in and aimed the Killing Curse at Hermione.

But Ginny jumped in front of it and fell dead.

Hermione could only stare as Katherine ran and grabbed her hand and left.

Left Ginny's body to those people.

When they landed at the new safe house, Katherine stumbled away from Hermione and the house to vomit.

* * *

><p>That was three days ago and it still made Katherine sick. She was in the attic of the safe house they were currently occupying with Hermione. Cedric, Amy, Rose, and Scorpius were downstairs discussing the game plan. Cedric's son was playing in his room.<p>

The same grandson that gave Katherine her Chocolate Frog Card that she was currently flipping up in the air.

She was looking out the window, squinting her eyes against the setting sun. Hermione was sleeping on boxes in the corner.

Then, Katherine saw black dots appear on the horizon, walking towards the house.

_Shit!_ She thought as she realized it was the Supremacy. She ran over to Hermione, and shook her friend's shoulder, but Hermione didn't wake.

"Hermione! Hermione!" Katherine cried out hurriedly.

Hermione's eyes barely flickered open. "Tired."

Katherine felt Hermione's pulse and breathing getting softer.

"No, no, no, no! Don't leave me!" Katherine yelled, almost desperately.

Hermione barely shook her head, and then died under Katherine's hands. Katherine's head fell forward into Hermione's mane of brown hair, now streaked with gray. Katherine swallowed down a sob because she owed Hermione, at least, to make sure her family was safe.

"I never was enough for you." Katherine whispered before getting to her feet and going downstairs.

The four adults looked up from their planning when she walked into the kitchen.

"They're coming." She said in a dead tone.

Amy jumped to her feet and ran to get Peter, her son. Cedric grabbed the packs by the door and started shrinking them to put in his pockets.

"Where's mum?" Rose asked Katherine, who didn't say anything. Rose gasped and ran up the stairs with Scorpius right behind her.

Amy returned with Peter at the same time Rose and Scorpius returned with Scorpius carrying Hermione's body. All of them went outside the house.

The army was getting closer, but wouldn't be there for ten minutes. Katherine turned to the people behind her.

"Get to the next safe house. Scorpius, contact James and tell him what's happened." Katherine ordered.

Scorpius nodded before grabbing Rose's hand and Apparating away. Amy squeezed Cedric's hand before she Apparated away with Peter.

Then it was just Cedric and Katherine.

The two stared at each other. Katherine had her wand in her hand and was tapping it anxiously against her leg. Cedric held out his hand to her, but she didn't take it.

"Mum, c'mon. We've got to go." Cedric said.

Katherine shook her head.

"Mum!" Cedric repeated urgently, looking over her shoulder at the moving army.

"No, Cedric." Katherine said firmly.

He just looked at her with uncomprehending brown eyes.

Katherine sighed heavily. "It's time."

His eyes widened in fear and comprehension. "No!"

Katherine nodded. "I'm not cut out for this anymore, Ced. I've never been able to handle grief and now all my friends are dead. I'm the last, and I can't be the last.

"What does cruelty do to the musician? Take away his hearing. To the dancer? His legs. To me, to the one who can't handle grief? Make her the last of her generation."

"But, mum-" Cedric tried to say, but a lump in his throat prevented him.

"You need to go. Lead the army, but choose where you fight. And when this is over, you need to prevent another war from happening. We tried, but we failed."

"Mum, you can't leave me." Cedric cried out.

"You don't need me anymore, Cedric." Katherine smiled softly.

"We need you!" Cedric pleaded.

Katherine shook her head. "No, none of you do. Now, go and hold them off."

Cedric tried to shake his head, but Katherine grabbed his chin to stop him. They looked at each other for a moment before Katherine slowly took Cedric Diggory's ring off her finger. She placed it in Cedric's palm.

"Take care of this, please, and then give it to Peter when it's your time and tell him to take care of it, too." Katherine whispered.

Cedric closed his eyes and nodded, his face twisted in pain. Katherine leaned up and kissed his forehead.

Then she turned around and started to walk towards the army.

Pain was twisted at her heart. She could feel her son's eyes on her, but she knew that if she turned around, she would lose her determination. After she walked a few more steps, she heard Cedric Apparate away.

And then she stopped.

Her hand was shaking as the distance between her and the army became smaller. Then she saw an outline out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and saw it get solider.

"Cedric?" She asked hopefully.

Cedric Diggory smiled at her.

"What? How can I see you?" Katherine asked bemused.

"The Fates are cutting your thread." He replied.

"So the Ancient Greeks were right?" Katherine asked.

Cedric shrugged. "I don't know. It's the easiest way to explain it."

Katherine looked at the army and her hand shook again. She looked back at Cedric.

"You're getting more solid." She said with a wry smile.

"You're getting closer." Cedric replied, as he grabbed her hand.

She nearly jumped when she felt how solid it felt.

"Do me a favor?" Cedric asked. "When you're at the crossroads to either come back or move on, don't go where I can't follow."

Katherine smiled softly at him and squeezed his hand, and she could feel it.

"Love, that's not how it works. We always find each other no matter what." She smiled at him.

He smiled. After a moment, Katherine let go of his hand and stepped away. She turned around and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Now, look away, Cedric." She whispered.

"What? Why?" He asked from behind her.

"I don't want you to see me die." She replied, but she didn't wait for an answer.

Katherine marched away from him and approached the army that was close enough for her to distinguish faces. She stopped on a little hill where they all could see her.

They all stopped as they stared at the lone woman. They all heard the stories. They knew who Katherine Potter was. They knew what she did and what she could do.

She pointed her wand at the sky, yelled a spell, and a crack of white light exploded from her wand into the sky, remaining there.

Katherine stared at them as they took in the sight in the sky before yelling. "He defeated a cause greater than yours when he was seventeen! Yours will be destroyed by the mere memory of him!"

Then she let out a bloodcurdling battle cry and ran at them, illuminated by a burning white symbol in the sky: a lightning bolt scar.

* * *

><p><strong>Fin.<strong>


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